THREE SERMONS: TWO OF THEM APPOINTED FOR The SPITTLE, preached in St. Paul's Church,  
BY JOHN SQUIER, Vicar of St. leonard's Shoreditch in Middlesex:  
AND JOHN LYNCH, Parson of Herietsham in KENT.  
LONDON, Printed by Robert Young for Humphrey Blunden, near the Castle Tavern in Corne-Hill. 1637.   

To the Right Honourable, Sir Edward Bromefield KNIGHT, Lord Mayor of London.  
SIR,  
We are Brethren both by nature and affection; but (in this) towards your Lordship especially. We desire to set out these Sermons, as some small signification thereof. Your Call did cause the Preaching of them, we crave that your Countenance may further the Printing of them. The Defects in either of them, shall be acknowledged by either of us, to be our own. But if there be in them aught worth the owning, by the approbation of the charitable Reader; that shall be readily ascribed to our Incourager, by  
Your affectionately devoted in all humble and hearty service, JOHN SQUIER.   

For the Spittle, 1637.  
ECclesiastes 12.10. doth show the direction of The Preacher to all Preachers: he did, we should seek out acceptable words. But Quis idoneus ad haec? what Preacher can preach in this manner? Peradventure no Preacher, This Preacher cannot perform it without all peradventure. I hope (by God's gracious assistance) to prepare for my Honourable & Honoured guests, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, food which shall be wholesome; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that it shall be Toothsome, I do not say it, I dare not say it. No Christian Sermon can be like the Jewish Manna (according to that Jewish Legend, 
Aug. Retract. 2.24.  to savour unto all men according to their several appetites. Your Preacher is far from that faculty of St. Peter in his Sermon upon The Whitesunday, 
Acts 2.6.  to speak to every hearer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in his own Idiom & proper language, Acceptable words. If my words be Accepted, nay if they be not Excepted against, it shall be both above my deserts, & beyond my expectation.  
If I pitch upon a point of Popery, I know learned men who would have all Controversies confined to the Chair, not once to appear in the Pulpit: ne Suitor ultra crepidam, that rural Ministers should not climb above the Sphere of their Activity, but keep themselves within the compass of the Catechism, or of Cases of Conscience at the highest. If I preach for Peace in the Church, and Conformity to the Discipline of the Church, this discourse, doubtless, will displease the Disciplinarians. If I call upon you to render unto Caesar what belongeth to Caesar, 
Luc. 20.25.  to submit yourselves to the supreme Authority, some will whisper, this is ambitious Flattery: and if I exhort the Country to write after that Copy which is set them by this City, and to imitate the works of charity and piety performed by many worthy Londoners, others would condemn me for as pernicious Popularity. If my Text should lead me to avouch the dignity and authority of the Superiors in our Clergy, I should not escape that brand, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, behold a Time-servant, and a Man-pleaser: and if I plead for the Liberty of the Inferior Ministry, I may sink under the censure of that (which my soul abhorreth) favouring or savouring of Schism and Disobedience. If I persuade the Duty Of Ministers, some will say, I lay a burden on my Brethren, which neither they nor their Forefathers were ever able to bear: and if I plead for the Duty To Ministers, I know the aspersion, that I am an excellent Advocate in mine own cause, and that we take too much upon us we Sons of Levi.  
If I should pray you (with Saint Peter) that you would become a chosen people, Zealous of good works, the Antinomians would be Antagonists, my Adversaries; saying, that all sound preachers edify the hearers by preaching points of Faith, and do not dwell upon the Works of the Law, which are not pertinent to Good Christians, and to Men grown in Religion. If I should show what sort of Good works I would persuade you principally to practise, namely all, but especially those of Piety to the Church, I suppose some expert Linguists would translate that Greek sentence, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the words of their Apostle, Ad quid perditio haec? all Cost is Lost which foolish Prodigals cast away on works of that nature. Or finally, if I should instance in an Individuum, in a Particular object, which my persuasion did propose unto your Piety, as that Church which is consecrated to the Service of God by the memorial of St. Paul; there want not Auditors who will avouch, that this exhortation is superfluous, where a Plerophory of practice is already precedent; that the bags for that Building are like to the Pitchers at the Marriage of Cana, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Full to the Brim; that there is no room for the Rich to cast in their gifts, no not for the poor widow to thrust her Mite into the treasury for the building of the Temple. O, sit Veritas in ore Prophetae! O, may my Exhortations be always answered by such a True Anticipation!  
But now, since the words of your Preacher are but wind, and that out of what Corner of his mouth soever they shall blow, some hearers cannot, or will not sail according unto them, how shall I steer betwixt Scylla and Charybdis, without striking upon the Sand or the Rock? I have a Cynosura, a Star to lead me, which 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastes, the grand Preacher doth point to, to all Preachers, Luk. 4.23. Physician heal thyself.  
Certainly there is no Patient but will be patiented, when he shall see his Physician sup up that bitter potion, which he was afraid had been prepared for his queasy and reluctant stomach. I will therefore lay my finger upon mine own sore, your infirmities shall be a Noli me tangere, I will not touch them. I will preach To you, but Of myself, This way, if any way, I shall not offend. And if this way any benefit shall arise from you to me by the action, or from me to you by the reflection, then for you and me, I shall bless my God and your God, with unfeigned thanksgiving from the bottom of mine heart. Hear therefore (right Honourable, right Worshipful, and right dearly beloved in the Lord) the word of the Lord with reverence and attention.   
LUKE 18.13. God be merciful to me a sinner. 
MY Text is a Prayer: a Publicans Prayer, so it was; a public Prayer, so it is, so (I am sure) it should be: a Catholic Prayer, every particular Christian should have a personal share therein, every one should also pray, God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
For God is the Father of All, Sin is the Quality of All, Mercie is the Desire of All, and Me should be the Application of All. Therefore, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, let All men pray as One man, as This man, God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
Again, here we have the universal Object of prayer, God: the universal Subject of prayer (all men employed in one man) Me: the universal Necessity to pray, Sin: and the universal Motive to pray, Mercy. Therefore Hujus ad exemplum totus componitor orbis, let this One man be a Tutor to the whole World; all should pray as here he doth pray, God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
This is a General Prayer, and a Special Prayer. It is General for all Times, and for all Actions; but it is most Special for This Time, and for This Action above all other. Because of our concurrence and confluence in this holy action of Speaking and Hearing Gods holy word, now Specially are we bound to use this Prayer, God be merciful to me a sinner.  
I presume that you will permit the Speaker to Speak this phrase; considering that I am a man of polluted lips, and an unpolished tongue; of a shallow judgement, and a short memory: yea, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I feel that within me which may justly dismay me from delivering this Embassage, from Speaking For God, and Before God. Therefore Vae mihi si non Evangelizavero, vae mihi si non Oravero: Woe be to that Preacher which maketh not This Prayer a Preface to his Sermon, God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
God be merciful to ME; yea, God be merciful to YOU Sinners also. I conceive this transition to be no transgression: for, Hom● sum, & nihil Humanum à me alienum esse puto: ye are Men, and therefore also Subject to Humane Frailties.  
Notwithstanding this godly goodly appearance, may not some appear in this place with Partiality to the Cause, or Prejudice to the Person? May not some Zelotes be Prodigal in Hearing, and but Sparing in Practising? Nay, Ille alter ego Sosia qui sum domi: Is it impossible for an Hearer to have his Ear in the Church, and his Heart at his House, or in a worse place, in the same season, and at the same Sermon? Jam sumus ergo pares. Well may we therefore all concur to elect this Prayer of the Publican to be our Prolocutor to that High House. Here we are in the Sight of God to Speak and Hear the Word of God; in the Speaking and Hearing whereof, God be merciful to Me, God be merciful to You, yea, God be merciful to us All miserable Sinners.  
The Object of our Prayer must be the Subject of my Sermon, I mean of the first part thereof. Prayer is Peculiar unto God. We may conceive this truth, if we consider these three Properties, which are Peculiar both to God, and to the Proper Object of Prayer. He is Enter, Potenter, Praesenter: God is Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipraesent. God Knoweth all Things, Rules all Men, and Filleth all Places. God is All in All; per essentiam, because in him We live, and move, and have our being; per potentiam, because whatsoever God Will, that he Doth in Heaven and in Earth; & per praesentiam, because there is no creature which is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked, and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. In a word, God is in all places, with all persons, at all seasons, and therefore the Absolute and Only Object of our Prayer.  
If you would have it yet more plainly, No Man can say more in his Sermon, than every Child doth speak in his Catechism. God is Pater Coelestis, our Heavenly Father: a Father which Will, and an Heavenly Father which Can hear and help us. This is his Property, Soli ac Semper, Proper to him alone, and to None but him. God therefore must be adaequatum Objectum Orationis: Invocation is his Royalty, and whosoever doth trench into this Prerogative, he is guilty of High Treason against the Heavenly Monarch. Give therefore unto Caesar that which belongeth to Caesar. Let our Prayers be directed to the right Object: God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
We must Pray to God, but not as the Athenians did, Sacrifice to God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to the Unknown God. We must not be Samaritans' to worship we know not what, but we must be Israelites, we should Know what we worship. For the attaining of this Knowledge, as the Eye of our Body is to the Sun, so is our Understanding the Eye of our Soul to God. If the Eye of a man shall Directly look upon the Sun, the Sun will dazzle it, and blind it: but cast down your Eye into the Water, and therein you may see the Shape of the Sun. So God doth inhabit, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God is a Light man cannot look upon: but reflect our cogitations to the Waters, to his Creatures, to that Sea of Glass, to his Scriptures, in these we shall See our God Shadowed unto us, in these shall we See that which will be Sufficient for, and Efficient of our Happiness in general, and our Holiness in this particular, in the performance of this work of piety; when we go to Speak Of and before God, by Preaching: and To and with God, by our Prayer and Invocation.  
I shall not take God's Name in Vain, if I use it to this purpose, by it to shadow out God's majesty to our apprehension.  
God's Name, according to the Hebrew, hath two roots, signifying one, but implying three things; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both signifying to Be: because God is, 

1. The Being,  
2. Giveth Our Being,  
3. Maketh his Promises to Be infallibly; without any Variableness or Shadow of Turning.    
1. The Name of God Jehovah, signifying Being, by the change of three letters, doth imply God to Be the Being, according to the threefold distinction, of time, or Being. From his Name Jehovah, withdraw the letter Jod; and it signifieth the time Past, Fuit, he hath been: Change in the same Name, another letter, Camets' into Cholem, and it signifieth the time Present, Ens or Existens, he that is now Being: and Jod, and it is the Future, the Time to Come, Erit He that Will Be. Hence God himself said that his Name was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ero, which the Septuagints translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and Plato doth term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Person or Thing which hath a Perpetual Being. St. John more clearly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He who Was, Is, and is to Come. To which that inscription of the Egyptians in their Temples, to their God, is answerable, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: I am (saith God) He that ever Was, that Is, and Ever Shall be. By Name Jehovah: The God of Eternal and everlasting Being.  
2. From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Bee, God is called Jehovah; because he Giveth Being to All, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord made all Things, and form Thee from the Womb. The Egyptians emblematically express him by an Egg: that as all Fowls are bred of it, so all Things are made by Him. He is our Father, He is our Jehovah, in him we live, and move, and have our Being.  
3. From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Bee, God is called Jehovah, because he doth give a Being to All his Promises, and maketh them All Yea and Amen. He is known to us, not only by the Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God Almighty, but also by the Name Jehovah, that is, he who Promiseth us Deliverance from Egypt, and Pharaoh; from the Spiritual Egypt, and Eternal Pharaoh; both from the Sin of Man, and from That Man of Sin. And his Promises are like the Capitol, built upon immobile Saxum, a stone that will never shrink: like the Centre, they are immovable: like the Laws of the Medes and Persians, they can Never be Altered: like the Angel to Sarah, at the Time appointed they will come: and like the Law, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not one Jote or Title of them shall fall. In thee O God (Jehovah) do we put our trust: O Lord (Jehovah) let us never be put to confusion.  
Here in the Greek, he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God; of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Run, or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Fear▪ because in our Fear, we must run to Him; He will be our Asylum, our Sanctuary; none can pluck us out of his hand. If God be on our Side, we will not fear what man can do unto us.  
The Latins term him Deus, of Dedit he Gave, because he Gave all things to all men. Man is made by God; like that Woman Pandora; all endowments are his Gifts. From the Hair on our Heads, to the Blood in our Hearts; from the latches of our shoe, to the Inheritance of our Ancestors; from the Labour of of your Hands, to the Study of our Minds; from the Policy of Statesmen, to the Simplicity of Christians: both the Spirit of Wisdom, and the Wisdom of the Spirit; of All, we must say, what that Prophet did of his Hatchet, Alas it is but Borrowed: Deus Dedit, God is the Fountain of all our Abilities.  
In our own language, his name is God, because he is the Efficient of all Good. God doth feed us with his Good Creatures, guard us with his Good Angels, instruct us with his Good Word, comfort us by his Good Spirit, and preserve, prevent, sanctify, and save us by his Good Grace. This is our Good, this is our God. O my soul rest and rejoice in him.  
Since then, God is Jehovah; he who is all. Being Originally in Himself, and Derivatively to all Persons, by his Promises: He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to whom we must run, in all our fears, and afflictions: He is Deus, the Giver of all we have, and Are: And finally, he is our Good; all the Good our head can look after, or our heart can long after: oxternall, internal, eternal: Certainly we should Pray, and Pray perpetually, to that Person, proposed here in our text; God, yea God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
Now this God, this Jehovah is One, or rather very Oneness, and mere Unity, having nothing but is self, in itself, and not consisting (as things do besides God) of many things. Howbeit this One, is Three: One Substance, Three Persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; Coequal, and Coeternal; the Unity in the Trinity, and the Trinity in the Unity, to be worshipped and glorified.  
If any would know more; know moreover, that God being a Pure Act, is most knowable in Himself; yet least knowable to us: because he must be known to us, by our Intellect or Understanding; but the Object, to be Understood, by its excellence, doth exceed our Faculty of Understanding. As the Sun is Visible in itself, yet it maketh it Self to be invisible, and not to be seen or looked upon by Bats, and Owls, by the lustre and excellent Light thereof: So, both because of the abstruseness of the Object, and Obtusenesse of the Subject; it is impossible that there should be a perfect knowledge of God in Man.  
I remember, I have read that Hiero the King, demanded of Simonides, the Philosopher Quid est Deus, what is God? That learned man Petebat Diem, craved a Day for to shape him answer. The second day he demands the second time; Quid est Deus, what is God? He begged Biduum, two days to answer him. The third Day, Three Days: till in the conclusion he ingenuously confessed, that the More he studied, the Less he was enabled to declare, What God it.  
And indeed, according to the Vision of that Father, it is easier for a Child to take up the Ocean in a Shell; than for any man to comprehend in his Scull, What God is.  
Tu es interior intimo meo, & superior summo meo, said the holiest of the Fathers. God is more inward than our most inward Cogitations: God is more high than our most high Speculations. The God of Peace, is like the Peace of God; He passeth all Understanding.  
Wherefore our safest eloquence concerning God is silence, when we confess without confession, that his goodness is inexplicable, his greatness above our capacity and reach. He is above, we upon earth: there fore it behoveth our words to be wary and few.  
I soar too high, I will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I will stoop to the Ground; and build the conclusion of this point upon the Grounds of Religion, upon the Principles in our English Catechism. Quid Deus, what is God? God is our Father, which is in Heaven: God is the Almighty maker of heaven and earth. O Father in heaven, O Maker of heaven, O God (yea) God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
Here we may cast both our eyes, on two notes: yet neither shall be able to discern, whether is most noteable. Our incomparable Necessity To Pray, and our incomparable Commodity, if we Do Pray. Both these are inferred from this; that God is the Object of Prayer, or the Person which is only to be Prayed unto. But let this Isis and Thame, fall into one Thamisis: let this Jor and Dan, fall into one Jordan. Let both these notes be handled in one: that their confluence may make the fuller fountain, streaming out the more plentiful instructions.  
The ground work whereof I suppose be, and so propose this proposition; Jovis omnia Plena, our God is in every Place: and therefore our Prayer should be so also.  
1 Our Prayer should be as our God is, in temple Cordis, & in cord Temple, both in the Temple of our Heart, and in the Heart of our Temple. In our Heart God is enthroned, tanquam Rex in Throno, like a King in his Tribunal, where each oppressed Subject aught to exhibit his Petition, with all submissure supplication. This place the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here it t●● chiefest part of God's People, and the chiefest part of God's Temple: here than we should especially endeavour to make our Prayers ascend like incense, and the lifting up of our hands to be as the Evening sacrifice.  
2 In your Journeys from the Church to your houses, or to any place from your houses, he who is Via, the Way, cannot be out of your company: your duty therefore is to crave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to Pray God to be your Guide, and to Bless you in all your undertake.  
3 If your Callings call you into the Market, conceive that he who is Veritas, the Truth, cannot be excluded out of your presence, although he may be abused in his own presence. Let Prayer therefore open thy heart, that God may open thy mouth, that thou mayst nor Lie nor Swear in thy buying and selling.  
4 If you glance an eye into a Shep (as you proceed) it is not impossible to suppose that you see our invisible God, even there also. He that is Vita, Life itself, must give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maintenance to their life, if any Thrift grow in that Garden. Their pain therefore would not be much more, nor their gain much less, if Tradesmen should bless their labour with a short ejaculation, Prosper thou the works of our hands upon 〈◊〉, O Lord; O Lord prosper Thou our handy worker.  
5 When you arrive at your own House, know that Domus Tua is Domus Dei: that if God had not built thy house, their labour had been but in vain that built it. Know moreover, that if he be not every moment the grouncell, beam, and buttrice to support it, the next minute should not see one stone upon another. If therefore Thine House be God's House, use God's phrase, Domus men domus Oration is vocabitur, My House shall be called an House of Prayer. Prayer should be Seranoctis; he who shutteth up the Evening without saying Prayers, he doth Bolt out God, and let in the Devil; a fearful Sojounar. Prayer should be Clavis diei, he who speaketh to God by Prayer in the Morning, is sure of 〈◊〉 good morrow. At Meals, have Grace before 〈…〉 grace after meat: and let gracious discourses be the salet, sauce, and salt to season your banquet; that Cibus mentis may seem more savoury to thy Soul, than Cibus ventris to thy appetite. Happy is that Feast where God is a Guest, there cannot but be a blessing at such a meeting. Proceeding from your repast to your Rest: thy Chamber should be to thee as Bethel was to Jacob; Surely God is in that place, though some men do not know it. O, may Prayer then (be your Caduceus) close your eyes! happy is that man who so goeth to Bed, that God is in his Bedchamber, and Prayer his Bed-fellow. Finally, honest Alipius, poured out his holy Prayers, in a more homely Place: knowing that the Sun can shine on a Dungbill, without contracting any thing that is unsavoury to the impassable Beams thereof.  
Thus the first word of my text doth show what must be the first word in our Prayers: We have the Publican for our Precedent, and he Prayed thus, God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
5 To return and review all these Places and Prayers, ordine retrogrado; first of the last. Some need not be dainty of their devotion, no not in that place, as though the Place did pollute their Prayers, when it may be feared that their Prayers pollute the Place. If not the Prayers, yet the Thoughts of some men are more foul than the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the very Draught into which they disburden the Filth of nature. But ascend we to the Chamber, there peradventure we shall meet with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, some foot-print of Prayer. Alas it is suspected, that even when they go to Sleep, the Husband is like Tyrannous Lamech, and the Wife like querulous Zipperah: Hos Deus conjunxit? Can such Dream of God, when the Devil causeth them to Sleep in such unseemly contention? From the Bed descend unto the Board: there indeed we shall hear formal Prayers, both before and after meat; but the Interim is oftentimes interlarded with such discourses and disgraces, with such censuring and judging, as if they endeavoured that their Tongues should tear the names of the absent into smaller pieces, than their Teeth can their Meat in their mouths. Surely if God be Charity, God cannot be present at such uncharitable eating.  
4 When they arise and walk, egredientem armat Oratio? regredienti occurrit Oratio? Do some by their prayers say so much as God speed to their Journey? If there be no invocation, how can there be any expectation of God's blessing upon their going out, or coming home again.  
In the Market, that Old lying Legend hath a true moral, of an old Devil lying on his elbow fast asleep in the Market place, because (said he) temptations in this place are superfluous. For such Buyens and Sellers, such Liars and Stealers, will to Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of their own good nature and prompt inclination, without any external or infernal provocation.  
● And some say the same of some Shep keepers, that they concur in the same kind also, by way of Retaliation. Because Christ did once whip the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple, therefore Buyers and Sellers do now every day whip Christ out of their shops and markets. O unchristian dealing! what advantage will it be for a man to gain the whole world, and to lose his own soul?  
1 But our meditations being come hither, we cannot but conceive here, etiam faciem Dei vider, God to be present in a more illustrious manner. For if in any earthly place, where can we look to find the Lord of the Temple, if not in the Temple of the Lord, in our congregations and Churches: But alas, posteriora tantum, his glorious presence is infinitely eclipsed by our infinite infirmities, admitted even in these holy meetings. God indeed is here speaking in our Sermons, hearing in our Prayers, seeing in both: but our behaviour acknowledgeth his presence in neither, we have so little bearing of the Head at the one, and bending of the Knee at the other. I have seen as much Reverence (and more) performed by servants to their Mastar, at his Table, and in his Kitchen, than by, professors to their God, in his Temple. Now I persuade myself, that if we were persuaded that God were indeed present amongst us at our meetings in our Churches, we would signify it by a more reverend gesture.  
Finally, God's residence is in the Sanctum sanctorum, in our Heart no question. Blessed is the Heart which knoweth it so. Blessed is that man which can speak that language, My Heart is prepared, my Heart is prepared: in utrumque paratum, both for Hearing and Praying. Then should we not fear such Detractions for our Sermons, nor you feel such Distractions in your Devotions. But I fear our Heart doth know that God is not, and God doth know that our Heart is not always present in these holy places, at these holy exercises.  
To contract all our omissions into one compendium. Thus we see, that from our Bed to our Board, from our Shops to our Markets, from our Houses to our Churches, from the Action in this Place to the Affection of our Persons, God and Prayer are too often Absent from us.  
Surely that in all these things we forget God, we are most miserable: but if in all these God did forget us (to be Merciful) we were more than most miserable. Let therefore our solid Hearts be like the hollow Mountains, Echoing out One word, the first word of my Text, God, God, yea God be merciful to us miserable Sinners.  
Here conceive me aright: I do not pry to spy a Mote in your Eye, and wink at a Beam in mine own Soul. I ingenuously confess I do but see but the Shadow of these Sins in you by my Contemplation, but I feel the same, or some such, in myself, the Body of Sin, in my Conversation.  
Diogenes conculcabat Platonis fastum, at fastu majori: I trample (said Diogenes) on the Pride of Plato; but (replied Plato) with a greater Pride. I acknowledge I would trample down these your Sins, forgetting of God to be always Present, and forgetting of Yourselves, that You are so Irreverent at your Prayers in his Presence, but with a Greater Sin.  
I confess that I have not that awful apprehension of God's dreadful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of his Perpetual Presence in my Church, in my Chamber, in my Closet and closest Conclave, not in my Heart, which is due to our Great Jehovah.  
I confess Prayer doth dwell with me as St. Peter did with the Tanner, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it doth but Sojourn with me, and God knoweth it is too often Absent from me.  
I am not to that holy Devotion as Saint Peter was to Tabor: bonum est nobis esse Hic: I do not delight to Dwell there. I do not say, alas, I cannot say, Faciamus tria Tabernacula, O let us build three Tabernacles one for God, one for Prayer, and one for Thee, O my Soul, that we might Dwell perpetually together, as St. Paul once persuaded the holy Thessalonians.  
Alas, from my Study to my Church, from my Studies to my Employments, in my Vocations and Recreations, alone and in company, by Day, by Night, I have little acquaintance with those holy and heavenly soliloquia & colloquia, sudden short Ejaculations, and solemn Invocations, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, persevering in Prayer, with Watching and Fasting, which were so familiar with the blessed Saints, now at rest from their labours.  
Here, here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I indeed am that Physician who have prescribed to you, but cannot heal myself; yet that I may yet search out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Medicine to heal me in neglecting Prayer, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Cordial to strengthen you in affecting Prayer, I will have recourse to Luke that beloved Physician, who prescribeth unto us a most sovereign medicine by the mouth of this Publican in my Text, the Balm of Gilead, the mercy of God, God be merciful to me a sinner.  
Abyssus Abyssum invocat, one Deep calleth upon another.  
The Object of Prayer, God, which is Infinite, doth direct my discourse unto the Necessity to Pray, which is Infinite in like manner: God be merciful to me a Sinner. That Sin is Infinne, we may conceive, if we consider the Denomination, Description, Division, Object, Attribute, and End thereof.  
1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Sinner in the concrete, hath near affinity with the abstract Sin, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Etymologists pronounce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a straying or wand'ring. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to go the right way, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to goethe wrong way.  
This Denomination of sin declareth the Nature thereof. It maketh men cain's, Fugitives, and Vagabonds, Jews, coeli ac soli sui profugos, Stragglers which have no home nor house to put their heads in. Sodomites smote with blindness, which cannot hit the Door to Heaven, though they should weary themselves to find it. And Gentiles, sitting in darkness, and in the shadow of death.  
Now a solicarie person straggling in the wide Wilderness, among the Wild Beasts, in the dark, and out of the way, having neither Light nor Guide, how would such a poor wight be perplexed? The same is the perplexity of every Sinner. He doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Wander amongst the Dangers of the World, indeed amongst a World of Dangers. It standeth him the refore in hand to pray that God would send him a Guide in so desperate a pilgrimage, that God would be merciful to him a Sinner.  
2 Next, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Sin is the transgression of the Law: so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sin, maketh a Sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an Out law or Rebel.  
Sin maketh the Sinner to be to God like Absalon to David, he may not dare to see the King's face. And like David, Sheba, and Joab, not his own House; no City, nor Sanctuary, may shield him from the sword of the Executioner.  
Think now how a guilty Traitor, a Bandido, a proscribed and proclaimed Rebel, how he fleeth from the City to the Country, from the Towns to the Fields, and from his House to some Cave: if he remaineth, he starveth; if he returneth, he dieth with torment and ignominy. And in that breathing time before Death he Dieth a thousand times, he quaketh at every shadow, as if it were an Officer, and starteth at every Wind, as if it were an Hue and Cry.  
Think I say, on this amazed wretch, and withal think on the amazement of every wretched Sinner. No mean Necessity to make men Pray, God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
3. Sin is factum, dictum, cogitatum: either infused to our thoughts, or effused by our Words, or diffused in our Deeds. Our Hearts are Hives; if examined, they contain examen, a Swarm of sinful Cogitations: and withal a Master Bee, a Bosom Sin, which trumpetteth out, We have no inheritance in the Son of Jesse. The Sins on the lip of a Man, are like the Sands on the lip of the Sea, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) infinite and innumerable: yet must every one of us give an account for every one of them. And all our Deeds also, which we have done, either like Absolom in the sight of the Sun, or like Sarah behind the Door: all our actions Public or Private, are registered, and must be remembered. All these Sins therefore considered, our Thoughts, our Words, our Deeds: it may be concluded, that a Sinner should be like Stentor, he should Have a Voice; or rather like the Night-Bird, that he should Be a Voice: that he should Pray, nay Cry, God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
4 Moreover, which is yet more fearful, all these Sins, all these Thoughts, Words, and Deeds, are acted, uttered, and effected against God, an infinite Majesty; which doth infer an infinite Iniquity: we use it as a proverb, Peccatum Minimum, est Maximum, quia in Maximum. The least Sin may be termed an infinite Sin, because an infinite Person is offended by it. But some Sins we may pronounce infinite both extensiuè, and intensiuè; both in regard of their Object, and Subject also. The Desires of the Covetous, are as Broad as the World; of the Libidinous as Long as Eternity; of the Ambitious, as High as Heaven; and of the Malicious, as Deep as Hell. The Heart of an habituated Sinner, is like the Mare Mortuum; though whole Rivers of profits, pleasures, preferments, and passions fall into them, they are not one jot the fuller; but have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an insatiable appetite to swallow more, if either God, or the Devil would exhibit them. Therefore such infinite sins, against so infinite a God, cannot but cause an infinite necessity, (if it were possible) even to an infinite prayer: Who can now silence the Publicans petition? God be merciful to me a sinner.  
5 Thus we see that sin is an heavy case: yet one attribute doth add to the weight thereof. It is termed a Burden. A burden over the head, by holy David; and a burden over the heart, by Saint Paul: The burden of Dumah, the burden of Ammon, the burden of Moab: indeed every sin, to every sinner, is an heavy burden.  
Three sorts of ways is sin said to be a burden, to three sorts of Persons. It is a burden to God, to Man, and to God and Man: Sin is a burden to God, onus displicentiae & indignationis, a burden of wrath and indignation. To Man it is a burden, onus reatus & miseriae, a burden of guilt and condemnation. And unto God and Man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to Jesus Christ our sin is an heavy burden, onus supplicii & satisfactionis, of affliction and satisfaction.  
Sin being such a burden, let the phrase put us in mind of those miserable Malefactors; who our of a sudden obstinateness, in their apparent and impenitent wickedness, refuse to be tried by the Country. These Caitiffs, having a sharp stone under them, and a great plug over them; Their crying and roaring will tell us that they feel a burden: and yet, as a Pound weight is to a Talon of Lead; such is the burden of their Bodies, compared to this burden of our Souls. Al●● then, what will betide us under such a Load? Certainly, Come unto me all ye that are laden, saith Christ. And let every Christian go unto him, in the voice of this Publican, saying: God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
6. Finally, the end of sin is pain without end: a double pain: Poena sensus, & Damni: both a pain privative, and positive.  
The privative, is (Solemè mundo) to lose the sight and light of him, who is a thousand times more illustrious than the Sun, when the beams thereof are a thousand times multiplied: Sinners shallbe cast By God, and from God into outer Darkness.  
The Positive is both of Body and Soul in Hell; and both of them suffering two strange Extremities, and Contraries; extreme Heat, weeping: and extreme Cold, gnashing of Teeth.  
Now, if the sight of the Rack (to which Hell is like Nebuchadnezzars' Furnace, compared to the stinging of a Gnat) will constrain Rebels to confess and repent their Rebellion: certainly the very imagination of those infernal, eternal tortures, will extort a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: though we were Tonguetied like the son of Croesus, or Tongueless like the Eastern Confessors, it will compel us to speak, and in the language of this Publican, God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
To run over all these particulars, with a general review. Since sin doth make us straggling Vagabonds, Traitorous Rebels, in thought, word, and deed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perpetually fight and smiting against God Almighty, as a Body and unsupportable Load, sinking both bodies and souls to the bottom of Hell: Therefore we may Pray, God be merciful to Us Sinners: Yea, God be merciful to us all Miserable, Miserable Sinners.  
But now! What ailest thee, O my Soul, 
Appl.  and why art thou So disquieted within me? Nay, What ailest thou, O my Soul, that thou art no More disquieted within me? Shall Sheba be in Abel, and shall not the inhabitants thereof be in a confusion? shall Sin dwell in thee, O my soul, and shall not thy thoughts be confounded? Dost thou not feel these sins? O quid miserius est misero non miserante seipsum? What is more miserable than a sinner that is unsensible? Can Aetna lie on thee, nay, fry in thee? Dost thou sin, and yet feel neither the weight nor heat thereof? Do not the wounds vex thee as a thing that is raw, which thou hast so oft received from that old Serpent called Satanas, from that Amphisbaena ore trisulco, with a threeforked sting? Art thou not inveighled by, if not entangled with Voluptuousness, Covetousness, Ambitiousness? Doth not thy hand reach after Pleasure? Did not thy heart long after Profit, and thy head look after Preferment?  
1. As fare as thy Means will permit, dost thou not tread that path, wherein Dives did travel before thee: Rurple to thy Back, and for thy Belly, deliciousness? Excess both in food and apparel, both in the quantity and quality thereof? In raiment to rejoice in the excrements of dumb dead creatures: In diet to delight in that which perisheth with the Using, nay with the eating: A true Ad quid Perdi●io h●●●? This might have been sold, and given to the poor. Thy superfluity might have supplied their necessity: but that thou darest not displease Isis and Osiris, those grand Egyptian (in truth, English) Idols, thy back and thy belly. Yet all the carnal Indulgences are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the pleasure of sin for a season: and thou knowest not how soon the Worm will come, & then thy Goodly gourd will w●ther in a moment: Galen, Paracelsus, no, Aesculapius himself cannot prevent it.  
2 Moreover, hast thou not taken care, not only what thou shalt put on thy back, & put in thy belly; but also what thou shalt put up for thy Posterity, that thou mightest have much goods, laid up for many years, for thy self, and for thy Children? For thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: for thy Children, yea for thy children's Children after thee, to the third and fourth generation? Vah parvum est: To thousand thousands in them thou wouldst provide for by a perpetuated entail of an uninterrupted inheritance, so long as the Sun and Moon should have endured. Spurred on by the promises, if God had not put his bridling Grace into thy mouth, by this time thy desires had galloped as fare as Ophir or India: where thou hadst been Bagging up Gold and Silver, and piling up one Bag upon another, betwixt thee and thy salvation, till thou mad'st the Way to Heaven as narrow as the Eye of a Needle: And verily a Camel laden with Gold, cannot enter at that Port of the new Jerusalem.  
3 Finally, did never the Prince of the Air prompt thee to build castles in the Air, to climb after that peremptoriam altitudinem, that perilous promotion, which (not seldom) draweth the ambitious higher, to hurl him down lower? But if thou hadst been sure to have had such fast footing and hand-grasping, that thou shouldst never have slipped from the Ladder of preferment; yet so much as thou hadst added to thy honours, thou hadst added to thy Stewardship also: Et quicquid tihi impensum est, exigetur à te qualiter expensum est, every mite, every minute, every title, every tittle of dignity must be accounted for. Thy ambition would have added to thy accounts a thousand for one, when thou shouldst not have been able to answer one for a thousand. Good men do save themselves and those that hear them; Great men do account for themselves, and for those that serve them. Honour's being achieved, if Maximus and Optimus could meet in one man, yet even He shall be glad, while he liveth, to use this prayer of this Publican, God be merciful to me a sinner: and when he dyeth, to pray as a great and good man of this kingdom did pray dying, Lord forgive me Mine-other-mens' sins.  
Now all these groundless, boundless, endless, fruitless, unlawful, unlimited, sinful desires of pleasure, profits, and preferment, whither did they, do they, would they lead thee O my miserable soul? to be a Cain, Homicida, a killer of a man? to be an Absalon, parricida, a supplanter of thy father? to be a Baanah, regicida, a rebel against thy King? yea yet more execrable, to be one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to fight against thy God.  
For what is all this, but an aversion from the Creator, and a conversion to the creature? a trampling on the instruction of his precepts, a spurning at the direction of his providence? To resist Jehova my Maker, Jesus Christ my Redeemer, and the Holy Ghost my Paraclete, my Sanctifier, and blessed Comforter? Oh ure, seca in hoc saeculo, ut parcas in futuro: nay, Ure, seca in hoc saeculo, ne peccem de futuro; Lord wound, burn my body, so that my soul may not sin: lay upon me obscurity, infamy, ignominy, poverty, weakness, sickness, death, any thing but sin and hell; but sin the cause of hell, and hell the effect of sin.  
If now that eternal Judge should enjoin me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an eternal silence for my eternal demerit, I would beg but one word, to be left to the liberty of mine utterance, which should never be out of my mouth, nor out of his Ears.  
PECCAVI, I have sinned: Peccavi, I have sinned, against heaven and against thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: Peccavi, I have sinned, Lord I have sinned, and these sheep what have they done? Peccavi, I have sinned, but Propitius peccatori, God be merciful to me The sinner.  
By this second point I have showed sin to be a burden, indeed Such a burden as neither we nor our Forefathers were ever able to bear. Howbeit, hitherto I have only touched that Burden with my little finger. In the third point, following, I will set my shoulder to it, and then my heart shall tell you how I feel the weight of it.  
We see thus, that sin is a burden, yet ordinary sinners feel it not. For (where sin is grown into a custom) Mulus mulum scabit, the sinner reacheth a cushion to the devil, and (by a reciprocal courtesy) the devil reacheth a cushion to the sinner. The sinner biddeth the devil take his ease, and spare his temptation; the devil biddeth the sinner take his ease, and fear no damnation: for sin must be freely and secarely committed.  
Your Urinatores, expert Swimmers, being under water, feel not the weight of a full freighted ship, of a thousand runs, riding perpendicularly over the very head of them: But so soon as they put their heads above water, the least touch of the least part of the ship will stem them, and tumble them headlong into the bottom of the Ocean. So whilst miserable men swim in the custom of any pleasing or profitable sin, they are insensible of the burden of any crime, though it be as big as a Carack, or as one of those  Sea-carts at Lepanto: But so soon as they shall begin but to lift up their heads out of the Ocean of their habitual offences, but to look towards heaven, they will be ready to sink with fear to be drowned in despair, at the very apprehension thereof.  
This applicative phrase, Mihi peccatori, to Me a sinner, will instruct us to ponder this point. Here I propose Myself Your lookingglass. The sight of my frailties may reflect to you your infirmities, either the very same or some very like, shadowed by this example. Irrideant me arrogantes, ego tamen confitebor tibi dedecora mea, in laudem tuam: although confession to God produce derision from man, yet will I say, Mihi peccatori, to Me the sinner; and let me have the shame, God the glory, and you an Item for your conversation.  
To look back to the very Aest of my Nativity, and lower also: I was a sinner before I was, I was borne in sin, and my mother conceived me in iniquity.  
In my swaddling clouts, those cradle-crying, and inarticulate complain, were the actual froth pumped from the dregges of my original pollution.  
Afterwards, being but Infans, Mendaciis Paedagogum fallebam, & pomorum furta faciebam: being not able to speak plainly, nor to go strongly, yet than I had a tongue to tell a lie for fear of the rod, and an hand to pluck other men's fruit, for the love of my palate. These little sins showed, that being but a little child, I had too little regard (or knowledge at the least) of our great God, and his holy commandments.  
My careful parents putting me to School, how did I play away that price less Treasure, my Time, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, how often did my sports add feathers to those nimble hours? and afterwards, how fain would I have clipped the wings of those birds, which (God knoweth) were then flown away too fare from being caught again?  
At the University, I had no lips to kiss those hands which clothed and fed me there. I did not only want a purse, but (which is worse) an heart also to be sufficiently thankful to those instruments (now with God) which gave me that blessed education.  
Being chosen Fellow in our College, and taking Pupils, I gave them too much liberty, and took myself too little pains: I was an Heli, when I should have been a Gamaliel; I considered not that University Tutors should be like the Latin Tutores, Tuitores, Defenders of younglings against barbarismes in their language, and barbarousness in their lives: I considered not that the inde fatigable industry of vigilant, diligent Tutors, should make every College both like Athe●●, which taught men to know well, and like Lacedaemon, which taught men to do well.  
When the University had fitted me for the Ministry. I entered that Calling with joy and hope, fastening my expectation on the Honos, rather than the Onus; on the honour of the Ministers, rather than the labour in the Ministry: but since I have found that the best man which breathed since the Apostles, did weep when he entered into Orders, as truly sensible of the truly insupportable burden.  
In that Calling, too long, too oft did I too much repine atomy maintenance, that I fed other men's souls plentifully, but they fed my body too sparingly: that a little wages was an unjust proportion to my great labour: A foul fault, perhaps overvalewing the one, and undervaleming the other; but without peradventure forgetting the work that God will do, that he will reward his labourers; and the work which Gods children should do, If they cannot have means according to their minds, then to frame their minds according to their means.  
But of all, in the discharge, and for the discharge of my Calling, when, because of my industrious, ingenuous, and impartial labours, I felt myself whipped on both sides; by the Rapists with scourges, and by others (who profess themselves Professors) with scorpions: Etiam tu fili! even Israelites to smite innocent Jeremy with the tongue! I want a tongue to tell you what a swarm of discontents did sting my soul with impatient cogitations. O poor pusillanimity! and fare from the Heroical patience of those Worthies, who being whipped for speaking in the name of Jesus, departed from the Council Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name.  
Besides my public, in my private Calling also, in my poor cottage, in my small Family, what great rivers of omissions have passed unseen by the eye of the poor man that is the Head thereof? At home in defect, nothing so careful for the souls, as every Mamonist is for the bodies of their servants, of their children especially: abroad in excess, using my friend's kindness, and Gods creatures too plentifully, when as it may be others of God's children, more dutiful than myself, wanted that surplusage for their extreme necessity.  
Nay my splendid a peccata, my best actions, in my preaching and hearing, my praying and fasting, my giving and forgiving, yea in the composing of this very Sermon, I have been sensible of my affections, infections, imperfections, yea interfections, that I need a Sursum corda, one to cry continually, Lift up thy heart in thy devotions.  
And I profess it, Verebor omnia opera mea, I am afraid of All my actions, that either superbia or desidia, either pride of them, or sloth in them, will be a worm to make them rotten at the very core.  
My life passed I have somewhat spent in reading books; if the remnant of my mortality I should employ only in writing books, I ought to compose them only of two kinds, after the precedent of that great man of God, only Confessions and Retractations; only to repent all my doings, and to recant all my sayings; I mean the infinite infirmities which do twin in the very birth of my best endeavours. Me me, adsum qui feci, I have sinned, Lord I have sinned, but these people what have they done? What you have done, yourselves do know, and your God doth know; therefore to your repentance, and to his indulgence I remit it.  
But for myself, O that I had the Heart of this Publican, to pronounce the words of this Publican, Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori, God be merciful to Me a sinner.  
Yet you will say, 
Appl.  but which is the greatest sin in the catalogue of thy personal transgressions? I say, my first and greatest sin is my sin of thought; the second is like unto this, concerning my Calling: and upon these two hang all my offences.  
God's Grace (blessed be my God for his Grace) hath preserved me from presumptuous sins, that they have not got the dominion over me: Qui facit peccatum ex diabolo est. God Grace hath prevented me from doing those notorious sins, which make a man a servant to the devil. Howbeit there is another kind of sin, which some call Limen Inferni, the very brink of Hell; this is the sin of thought. Now this sin of thought I think (nay I know) to be My sin.  
Whereas every Christian should be, and many a Christian is, Nun quam minus solus quam quum solus, when they are most solitary, then are they best employed, in holy invocations, and heavenly contemplations; for my self, I find my private cogitations to be aut malae, aut otiosae: im● mulae quia otiosae: to be either Evil, or Idle: indeed to be Evil because Idle.  
My idle evil Thoughts are like Camomile, the more they grow, the more I trample on them; and yet the more I trample on them, the more they grow. Like that Serpent Hydra, when I out off one Head of an evil Cogitation, instantly two other sprout up, nay, sprout out in the place of it. Like the Second Beast in the thirteenth of the Revelations, my Thoughts arise our of the earth, Earthly cogitations. And like the First Beast in the same Chapter, although I give a Deadly wound to the Head of one of those Beastly Thoughts, yet it will not Die notwithstanding.  
My Thoughts, like Davus in the Comedy, like Doeg in Souls Family, and like the Materia Prim● in Philosophy, semper machinantur male fierum, they always make some Misrules, and meditate some Mischief.  
Than Thought can hardly be thought a more Necessitating motive to perpetuate the Prayer of this poor Publican in my Text, God be merciful to Me a Sinner.  
But now I show you that Saul who would Hid himself, that Sin which is Higher than all my rest, by the shoulders upward, my Defects in my Calling, the Ministry, so many in number, so mighty in nature.  
The Ministry. For the Matter thereof, we are conversant about the Word of God, both audible and visible, both the holy Scriptures, and the heavenly Sacraments. For the Form, we do it authoritative, we are Dispensers' of them. Our Efficient instrumental is the Church of God, and the Efficient principal is God Himself, who did Thrust me forth to be a labourer in his Harvest, when as some of my most foolish friends, and some of my more foolish fancies, did whisper me in the ear to divert me to some more profitable Vocation. And the end is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Great Reward, yea a greater than that, to save Souls; nay, the greatest of all, to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to Do service unto God, whether it be by being the savour of Life to the children of Obedience, or the savour of Death in those that Perish.  
For the Effect. At these extraordinary times, we hope, when we cast our Bread upon the Waters, and deliver our Sermons amongst a Multitude of People, who are like many Waters, that through God's extraordinary grace, there may be one soul hungering and thirsting after Righteousness, which will vouchsafe to take one morsel of that we set before them. If not, we hope for an ordinary blessing among the Flocks over which the Holy Ghost hath made us Overseers. If not so, but that in this time of Plenty we bring our Corn into the Market, but find it slighted both by Foreigners and Inhabitants, than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Poor despised Husbandmen, we will carry it home to feed our own Families. Nay, if Pride, Idleness, and Fullness of Bread should reign under our own roofs, though a Minister cannot have Curam animarum, yet if he can have but Curam Animae: if through my Foolishness of Preaching I have saved but one Soul, but mine Own Soul: this certainly is a precious Effect of a most priceless Vocation.  
Now, that in such a Calling there should be any such Defect, of Conscience, not to be instant (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,) in season, out of season: of Commodity, not to conceive this Godliness to be great gain: of Content, since God hath said it, he will never Forsake us: or of Courage, God is on our side, we need not care what Man can do against us.  
That we should but from a corner of our eye cast but a glance upon the Riches of the City, the Honours of the Court, the Reputation of the Lawyers, Common or Civil, the Esteem of the Physicians, or the Quiet of the Gentry. So that we should not commend this while we live, as the only Treasure to our Souls; and when we die, as the principal Legacy, Portion, and Inheritance to our Sons.  
That we should not Delight to discharge this blessed Function with all our Heart, with all our Soul, with all our Mind, and with all our Strength; but that we should leave any cranny in our Hearts either for Discontent at home, or for Envy abroad; either for Wishes of Additions to our temporals, or for Fear of Opposition to our ecclesiasticals: that we should not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Content, and prompt, and provided to publish God's truth by our preaching, pens, and protestation.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I confess and profess it before God, Men, and Angels; Here, This is My Sin, and herein God be merciful to Me a Sinner.  
Thus these three words minister to our notice two strange Extremes. more distant than the Antipodes, or than the Xenith and the Nadir, than the most severed Paris of the Earth, or the two more contrary Points of Heaven, God, and sinful Man. And the word remaining (Mercy) is the Communis terminus, is the Knot where these two terms do meet.  
Mercy is that miraculous Medium which doth alter the Colour, yea, and the Nature of the Visible Object. Sinful man in himself is Red, red as Scarlet; but God, looking through Mercy, apprehendeth him to be White, white as the Snow in Salmon. God in regard of Sinful man is a Judge and Revenger; but through Mercy, even sinful man looketh upon him as upon a Saviour, a Redeemer, yea, as upon an indulgent Father. This Collyrium cleared the dull sight of this devour Publican. Being himself, he did not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven; but through this Medium he durst look God in the very face, saying, God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
Merciful to a Sinner! Sin is the sickness of the Soul, and Mercy is the Medicine thereof. As a Medicine, so Mercy is Sanativa, Praeservativa, & Promotiva: it is a Purge to Cure Sickness, a Cordial to Strengthen Weakness, and an Antidote to Anticipate Relapses. There is a Pardoning, a Preserving, and a Preventing Mercy: a Mercy pardoning our sins Past, preserving us against sin Present, and preventing us from sin to Come.  

1 The first the Woman had taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the act of Uncleanness: I condemn thee not▪ go, sin no more.  
2 The second God gave to Paul; My Grace is sufficient for thee, and, my strength is made perfect in thy weakness.  
3. And the third, rejoiced the Heart of holy David: Blessed be God, and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from avenging myself with my own hand.   
And this Publican desired, needed, hoped all these three: Mercy to pardon him for the time past, to preserve him for the time present, and to prevent him for the time to come. This threefold mercy, gave this prayer to the soul of the Publican; and the soul to this prayer of the Publican. Hence he prayed, God be merciful to me a Sinner.  
Those are lame Christians, who tread not in the footsteps of this Publican: Parallel the particulars.  
First look backward; Remember the mispending of our time, means, and callings.  

1 Our time was all from God. But to God what time have we returned? the seventh? the seventeenth? yea or the seventieth? What one here dare say, that in his whole life he hath given but One whole imire year unto God's service?  
2 Our means. God i● the Fountain issuing forth those also. But return we any Rivers, for the Oceans we have received? the tenth? nay the tenth of the tenth? How much, how much have we employed on our selves? How little, how very little have we set apart for our God?  
3 Our Callings. Have we used them as God's talents? to God's glory? Have we not used them as Rakes to draw riches to us? or as Stirrups to raise us to promotion? What then would become of us, if it were not for Gods pardoning mercy: if God would not be merciful to us miserable Sinners?   
Next let us look inward, indeed downward, and blush at the infinite frailties of our best abilities.  

1 Our Faith is sicut Luna, nunquam Una: in many Warns, Cloudings, and Eclipses.  
2 Our Hope is like an anchor of reed, apt to be torn up with every trivial temptation.  
3 And our Charity like the Cypress tree, very tall, but bearing little fruit. Our souls have need of a Cordial, of a preserving mercy: That God would be Merciful to us sinners, by his strengthening Grace, and gracious assistance.   
Finally, let us look forward, yea backward, yea inward also: let all men, at all times, look all ways. And if we can, let us turn our eye from some preventing mercy: which is the mercy of mercies.  

1 Full often shall we, have we, do we swell with prosperity; but that God's mercy doth send us some moderate adversity, to prick that windy bladder, and to prevent us from security.  
2 As often are we dejected with adversity; but than God's mercy doth raise us with some prosperity, to prevent as from impatience and blasphemy.  
3 Nature maketh us prone to superstition; but God's mercy hath given us birth in a blessed Land (which is the kingdom of the Gospel, and hath the Gospel of the kingdom) to prevent us from Idolatry.  
4 Company allureth us many times, to bestow God's Day on their Society; but God's mercy, in giving us customary Sabbath Sermons, doth draw us to Church for shame, and preventeth us from that too frequent, and public profane impiety.  
5 Our people are apt enough to act the part of those Boys of Jericho, to have a bald-head, some scornful nickname, for the Prophets of the Lord: but the mercy of the Lord hath a little prevented them, and a little touched their hearts (as he did the heart of Lydia) that they do in some sort esteem them to be the Horsemen of Israel, and the Chariots of the same.   
Have we not been angry too often, too suddenly, too much? And this is a prologue to Murder. But blessed be that mercy, which as often prevented us. Immoderate diet, fantastical fashions, too lose speeches, if God's mercy prevented not, who dare say that they might not lead us to uncleanness? Ye know our desires, cares, and endeavours to thrive ourselves, and to raise our Posterity: if we do this without covetousness, admire Gods preventing mercy, indeed beyond admiration. Corrupt nature hath framed us with broad ears, and wide mouths, with a strange aptness to speak of the absent, more than becometh the innocent. Have we learned the lesson of holy David in any measure? so to take heed to our ways, that we offend not with our tongue? Reverence God's preventing mercy, as our only instructor in that singular virtue. And that our Bosom Aetn●, our continual concupiscence, if we can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quench those desires in any degree, that they Flame not forth into actual Ambition, Covetousness, and Voluptuousness; the voice of our Praise and Prayer, must ascribe all this to God's preventing mercy, in the phrase of this Publican: God is, ever hath been, and ever may he be a God merciful to us miserable Sinners.  
The consideration of God's mercy in general, but of his preventing mercy in especial, may incline our hearts, to treasure up this precious Prayer, for our perpetual practice. It were well, if like the Israelites, we could write it as a select Scripture, in our Phylacteries and verges of our garments. It were well, if like that Emperor we could paint it as a choice sentence, in our windows and Walls of our houses. It were well, if like that Father we could carry it as an Obvious Poesy, on our Tables and Trenchers. All this were well: but it were fare better, if with the blessed Virgin, we could Lay it up in our Hearts, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in the tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the Heart. That Nulla dies sine linea, that every hour we may utter this Prayer; God be merciful to Me a Sinner.  
God be merciful to us! Surely God Hath Been, 
Appl.  and Is Merciful unto us already. That we are here, now met together at this time, in this place, it is the Lords mercy.  
It is God's mercy, that the substance of this Text, which is writ in this verse, was not written upon all our Houses, as it was upon some of our poor Neighbours: LORD HAVE MERCY UPON US.  
What am I, that I did not fall amongst those eight hundred which died this year in my own poor Parish? and what are you, that you servive those eight and twenty thousands which were buried within the circuit of your famous City? That our eight hundreds arose not to eight thousands: and that your eight and twenty thousands did not multiply to eightscore Thousands: and that we were made but Ciphers among those numbers appointed to die: that the Lord swep us not All away with that bosom of his indignation, the Plague: that they were scopae dissolutae, that we escaped, this was God's mercy, God's great mercy.  
That the Tower of Siloam fell upon eighteen, and upon no more of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem: it was God's mercy unto them. That the Plague hath destroyed so many of the Inhabitants of London, but no more: this is God's mercy unto us. Yea, God's mercy was to us, as preferment should be to men of merit, Fugientem sequitur, it did follow us when we did flee from it. Stulti Stoici cum misericordiam quasi vitium devitabant: when the foolish people did forsake their own mercies, and did pluck down Lord have mercy upon us, from their Doors; even than God did write over their Heads; Miserebor cujus miserebor, I will have mercy, on whom I will have mercy: and preserve many from the Plague. God's mercy, God's miraculous mercy.  
Nay, whilst our provoked Judge did destroy us with the plague, even then also he shown mercy in his Judgements. That in our parish, and in your City, there died so many, it was too many, had not God designed it to be so; but that there died no more, this was citra condignum, less than we did deserve, God's mercy: and that I and you were Titiones ab incendio, Brands snatched out of that fire, that we died not of the plague, this was supra condignum, more than we did deserve, God's gracious mercy. Carnal consultations, it may be, may conclude, that so many children died of the plague, this was a cruel affliction: But I say, Deus fecit nihil inaniter, nihil inhumaniter, that these judgements were not without wisdom, they were not without mercies. That Infants were destroyed, carnal men may call it cruelty, but it was crudelitas parcens, in verity very mercy. Although they did not know their right hand from their left, yet God (it may be) did know that they would patrizare, imitate the sinister dealings of their naughty Parents, and therefore to withhold them from a sinful life by a timely death; this was God's mercy: and we who have escaped the plague, if we continue in our sins, it is misericordia puniens, to incur greater judgements, if we be not prevented by God's mercy.  
But now, if the Lord would be pleased to say a Consummatum est to our Cross, to say of the plague, It is finished, that our inhabitants might safely and securely return to their houses, follow their trades, and frequent their Churches, in the fear of God, without fear of one another: that we might no more be destroyed by the plague, devoured by poverty, afflicted for our friends, affrighted in our minds, and (which is most miserable) hindered from coming to Church; this would be the mercy, the tender mercy of our God, whereby from on high he hath visited us, and delivered us from that heavy visitation. Then, as the last year in the plague, the heart of every good Christian was like Aristotle book, rasatabula, a Fair folio, wherein the letters of this text were written in text letters, God be merciful to me a sinner: so this year, being freed from the plague, we should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all of us should be one heart, to be one book, that book of Ezekiel, scriptus intus & foris, written within and without, like Psalm 136. every line, For his mercy endureth for ever.  
Now that God may cease plaguing, and that we may cease sinning, God be merciful to us All for Evermore, Amen.  
Finally, to make my Exordium my Conclusion, I may reinforce this exhortation from this present occasion of hearing and speaking.  
In hearing, if you have offended either in regard of your attention to the speaking, or of your intention to the practising of God's word, give me leave to be your poor Orator: God be merciful to you sinners.  
If in speaking your judgement doth apprehend or reprehend any errors in my discourse, I beseech you to intercede for me to our great intercessor; that Christ's mercy may pardon me what I have done, prevent me what I shall do, and preserve me in all my doings of this nature.  
O pray for Me that I may pray for myself, in all my actions, but in my Sermons especially. God be merciful to me a sinner.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   

PASCHA CHRISTIANUM; THE CHRISTIAN PASSEOVER.  
A Sermon appointed for the SPITTLE, but preached at St. Paul's on Wednesday in Easter Week, 1637.  
BY JOHN LYNCH, Parson of Herietsham in Kent, and Chaplain unto the R. Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of SARUM.  Coloss. 2.17. The body is CHRIST. August. contra Adiman. cap. 16. Non Signa & umbrae salutem dederunt, sed ea quae his significabantur. 
LONDOM, Printed by ROBERT YOUNG, for Humphrey Blunden, 1637.   

PASCHA CHRISTIANUM, THE CHRISTIAN PASSEOVER.  1 COR. 5.7.8. 7 Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us: 8 Let us therefore keep the Feast (or the Holiday) etc. 
THe subject matter (if you note it) of this my text, here, is an Apostilicall indiction (you shall find) of a Feast; together with a specification both of the cause why we must, as also a particular direction touching the manner how.  
The indiction we have in these words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Epulemur: that is, as it is in the text and margin of our English Version, Let us keep the Holiday, Let us keep the Feast. Where I pray take notice by the way, how that this our Easter feast is not like that same heresy of the Acephali, a certain blind custom, brought in amongst us no man living can tell by whom: neither like those Feriae domesticae amongst the Romans, is it of private institution, of which kind were those of the Cornelian family, taken up only by some few: no, it is Festum publicum (you see) & stativum, a feast that is founded upon the Word of God; and therefore S. Augustine telleth us in a certain Epistle of his, viz. in his 119. ad Jan. how that by the express authority of divine Scripture it is, that yearly about this time we do keep a feast.  
Yea, but why now do we keep a feast (you will say)? This my Text here will tell you why: Christus Pascha nostrum immolatus est pro nobis, Christ our Passeover was now sacrificed for us. And all these circumstances being duly weighed by us, have we just cause to keep a feast now?  
Yea, I trow; yea, and so to keep it too, not as it shall seem best unto our corrupt fancies, as they of Syracuse in Livy kept the festivals of their Diana, for three whole days together lewdly addicting themselves unto nought but drunkenness and all excess; as if for our parts so the feast be kept by us, we need not to pass (we think) for the manner how: No, sancta sanctè and therefore, the feast we keep now being the feast of Passeover, in such sort only are we to keep it, as with the nature of a Passeover shall be most suitable.  
Would you know how? Why not with leaven then (as you may read in Exod. 12.) none in fermento veteri, not with that old sour bread, which we usually fed upon whilst we were in Egypt; no, Haud est conveniens Paschati iste panis: and therefore if we will keep this feast here, according to the prescribed rites thereof, we must utterly exterminate from us all leaven: during the whole time of this festivity of ours, we must not so much as harbour leaven in our houses; much less than (if we will keep this feast aright) may we knead and mould it up in our bread.  
Yea, but if not with leavened, with what bread then is it St. Paul his will that we do keep the feast? for with some bread or other we must needs keep it (I am sure) if his meaning in earnest be that we do keep it at all.  
The truth is, a thing so necessary is bread to the substance of every feast, as that to imagine a feast to have no bread in it, is to imagine a feast to be no feast. This St. Paul knew well enough, being himself an Hebrew; he knew well enough, how that ab esu panis Hebraei totum convivium denotârunt, how that the Hebrew idiom it was under the term [Bread] to comprehend usually the whole banquet. This he knew, I say, and because he knew it, though he bars us one sort of bread, yet he allows another; though he restrains us from bread that hath any leaven in it, yet unleavened bread he allows our fill. What say I? doth he allow it us do I say? nay, to speak truth, he doth enjoin it us: for this word (Let) here (you must know) in our English Version is not barely permissive, but imperative, and strictly bind us it doth, as to keep the feast, so though not thus to keep it, yet thus; though not in fermento, yet in azymis, though not with leavened bread, yet with unleavened.  
Yea, but what then? Shall we untombe the Synagogue (you will say?) Shall we Deum colere per escas? And those very ceremonies, which for so many hundred of years have lain buried, and are quite putrefied, is it St. Paul his will (may we think) in this my Text here, that we should now rake them up again, and bring them in use?  
Fare be it from us to have the least thought, that Saint Paul should play here the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that he should prevaricate, say and unsay; or that he should build anew what he erst destroyed: that he should build anew here at Corinth, what he destroyed (we read) at Colossi: or that he should teach one thing here unto this people, and quite another thing there unto that. You must know therefore how that by this leavened and unleavened bread here spoken of, Saint Paul meaneth not the leavened or unleavened bread of paste: no, himself hath taught us how that God's Kingdom is not Esca & Potus; 
Rom. 14.17.  himself hath taught us how that it is not what we eat that commendeth a man to God: 
1 Cor. 8.8.  neither if we eat such sweet bread are we ought the better for it (can we say) neither if we eat such leavened bread are we ought the worse. It is the corruption (saith Isodore Hispalenfis) of the old man that is the leavened bread that is here spoken against. Again, it is the conversation (saith he) of the new man that is the sweet bread that is here called for: Let us keep the feast, not with leavened bread, i.e. not with malice (saith Saint Paul) and wickedness: Again, Let us keep the feast with sweet bread, i.e. with sincerity (saith Saint Paul) and truth.  
As the Text consisteth of two Verses, so do the Verses branch themselves into two parts, viz. into Beneficium and Officium, into a doctrine of faith, and a rule of life: into Beneficium or Credendum, a thing done for us on Good-Friday; and into Officium or Agendum, a thing to be done by us now at Easter; yea not at Easter only, but every day, during the whole seven days of our life. The Beneficium we have in these words: Pascha nostrum, etc. The Officium in these: Itaque epulemur. The thing done for us we have in the seventh Verse, Christ our Passeover is sacrificed: the thing to be done by us in the eighth, Let us therefore keep the feast.  
In the Beneficium, which I call the doctrine, the Credendum or thing done, there are four things which do voluntarily offer themselves in several to be observed, and all they too (if we well consider them) of such singular moment and importance, as that even in several they may afford us matter enough, every one of them to keep a feast for. Here of the first is Paschanostrum, that even we Christians have also a Passeover. The second is Christus, that our Passeover is Christ. The third is Sacrificatus est, that Christ is sacrificed. The fourth and last is Pronobis, that he is sacrificed for us. Of these in order, and first of Pascha nostrum, that even we Christians have also a Passeover; we that are Abraham's seed by faith, as well as they that are Abraham's seed by flesh: we of the new Covenant Ours, as well as they of the old Covenant Theirs.  
Yea, but a Passeover! What is a Passeover (you will say?) A rite it is well worth the clearing; and the true meaning whereof (if you will but look in Exodus, cap. 12. ver. 26.) it is God's command (you shall find) that every Israelite so punctually should understand, as that if a child (they say) were but once able to eat so much bread as an olive, and were but of strength once holding his father by the hand to go from Jerusalem gates unto the Temple, the father of that child was bound to cause him to go up that he might there catechise him in this ceremony. Where by the way, I pray tell me, did God so strictly bind the Jews to instruct and edify their children in the grounds and principles of religion; and is it a matter (may we think) that he left freely unto the choice and liberty of us Christians, whether we for our parts in these things will inform our children now or not? How cometh it to pass else (I would fain know) that some amongst us, who are past sucklings (I am sure) yea or weanlings either, yea or striplings either, being in truth many of them (we see) men grown, and therefore able (we may think) to eat more bread than comes to the quantity of an olive, and to go further without a father's hand than from Jerusalem's gates unto the Temple, than from the street unto the Church (I mean) than from their own houses unto Gods, how cometh it to pass (I say) that some amongst us, who are now altogether (I am sure) past children (unless you will make such children as the Prophet Isaiah doth, 
Isaiah 63.20.  children well nigh an hundred years old) are yet more grossly ignorant in most Christian principles, than are even the most ignorantly ignorant amongst the Romanists? But of this Obiter, and but by the by only (as we say) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to our shame, to the end, that if possible, I might in these things provoke us of the Church of England unto emulation. To answer at length therefore unto the question, touching the sense and meaning of a Passeover.  
The word Pascha here in the original is by birth an Hebrew (you must know) not a Greek; neither (as some Monks have sung) doth it derive its pedigree from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to suffer: but sicut perhibent qui hoc sciunt (saith Saint Augustine) as men skilful in that language have delivered, Ab eo dicitur quod transitur, it is deduced in Hebrew from the word Pasach, which is as much (you must know) in our native English, as to far, leap, or to pass over: & therefore some have thought how that even from this very root not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath sprung amongst the Greeks', but even amongst the Latins also Passus, and here in our own country dialect a Pace. Now the transitus or passage here alluded unto by Saint Paul, is that which in the 12. chapter of the book of Exodus we do find described to the very full: where the destroying Angel by God's appointment being to pass quite through the land of Egypt, and to smite impartially all the firstborn in the land, even from man unto beast (even from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat upon his throne, unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon) he yet spared (we read) Gods own people, he in mercy passed over them, God having appointed them to this purpose with the blood of a certain Lamb to all-besprinkle both the two side-posts, and the upper doorepost of their houses, that the Exterminator seeing the blood thereon, might not pass in thither to destroy them. The remembrance of this destruction, thus passing over them, were the children of Israel every year in most solemn manner to celebrate, both by the kill of a certain Lamb, selected by them to this purpose, as also by performing duly certain other rites prescribed unto them by God. This Lamb thus slain by them in memory of what had once passed them, did the Jewish people by a Metonymy call Pascha suum, their Passeover, and the slaying and the eating of this Lamb, the slaying and eating of their Passeover. Thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover at even (saith God, Deut. 16. ver. 6.) Where wilt thou (say the Disciple, Matth. 14.) that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the Passeover? The Passeover! that is, the Lamb, whereby the Angels passing over them was commemorated; it being no unusual thing amongst sundry other kinds of sacramental predication, to speak that of the thing signified, which is true most properly of the sign only, and to ascribe that again unto the sign, which is due only in truth unto the thing signified: and all this by reason altogether of that spiritual union and conjunction which in every sacrament of either Covenant is betwixt the Relatum (as they call it) and the Correlatum, betwixt the corporal substance and the spiritual, betwixt the outward element, and the inward grace.  
Well, you have seen by this time (I suppose) what a Passeover is, what in itself, what in its sign, what in rei veritate, what in significante mysterio; what in the truth of the thing done, what in figure also of that same truth. In itself, it was the passage (you have seen) of a destroying Angel over the Israelites; in its sign it was a sacrifice offered in remembrance of that same passage: in the truth of the thing done, Israel's firstborn you see were preserved; in figure of that same truth, a certain Lamb, you see, was slain. Yea, but in the mean while, where is nostrum (you will say?) Where is that same Passeover which I said was Ours? For all this while have we been only in Israel, you know: and what is Israel's, I am sure, is nought to us.  
True, it is not (I must confess:) but yet for all this have but patience (I beseech you) for a little time, and I nothing doubt but with God's assistance to repay with interest, what erst I promised, and to make it clear unto you how that, as well as Israel, even we Christians also have a Passeover, a passage over from as great an evil, a passage over to as great a good. For proof hereof, I pray tell me what think you (I beseech you) of our soul? Is not that a thing we must needs grant every whit as dear unto us as our first borne? Yea, a thing in truth for whose salvation, for whose safe passage (I mean) from hence to Heaven, there is no man (I think) so devoid of reason, that will not give both first borne and all he hath too. Again, what think you (I beseech you) of God's vengeance continually hover over us, for our sins, and every hour, every moment ready to pour us down to hell? Is not that a thing as much to be dreaded by us, as that destroying Angel was by the Israelites: yea and by so much the more too, by how much we are to fear eternal death, more than temporal? But now when by reason of Adam's sin we were all liable to condemnation, expecting hourly when God's justice should have ceased upon our souls, that God in mercy was then pleased not to destroy us with the Egyptians: that is (as S. Paul phraseth it) not to condemn us with the world, but to pass over us, to spare us (as he did his own children some times the Israelites) not suffering the Exterminator to have any power at all upon us; that thus it was, what is more plain (I beseech you) throughout the whole body of the New Testament? Where read we not (if you have observed it) in many places of our being delivered from wrath? 
1 Thess. 1.10.  Of our being freed from the Law? 
Rom. 8.2. Gal. 3.13. Ephes. 2.5.  Of our being redeemed from the Curse? Of being saved by Grace? And in the fift of St. John the 24. verse. (where we have both the terminos of this happy passage of ours) read we not expressly how that each true believer is already passed from death to life?  
Well then, that a Passeover we have, that is most certain (you see) even we Christians, as well as the Jews: yea and that such a Passeover in truth (if we well examine it) as wherewith the Jewish Passeover must not compare: No, neither in respects of that evil which in either Passeover was avoided, the evil in theirs being only a bodily danger, whereas it was a spiritual danger (you see) that we escaped in ours: nor yet in respect of that good which in either Passeover was effected, the good in theirs being only a temporal deliverance; whereas it was an eternal deliverance, you see, that was wrought in ours. What will you say now unto the means ordained by God in either Passeover for the effecting of this good, for the avoiding of this evil, for the working of this deliverance, for the escaping of this danger? Even in this respect too is not their Passeover far inferior (alas) to ours? even as fare as the earth is inferior unto the heavens? even as fare as the creature is inferior to the Creator? Yes: for whereas the means in theirs was only agnus, as saith Saint Ambrose, irrationabilis naturae; behold in ours it was agnus divinae potentiae: whereas the means in theirs was only a lamb that was taken by them out of the fold; behold in ours it was that Lamb that descended for us down from heaven, even that very Lamb which both S. Peter speaks of and S. John the Baptist points at, namely Christ; Pascha nostrum Christus est, 
1 Pet. 1.19.  our Passeover, saith my text, is Christ.  
2 And the truth is, if we well consider with ourselves what was to be done for us in our Passeover, what the state we were to pass from, what the state we were to pass unto, we must needs grant how that in all reason none could have been our Passeover, save only Christ alone; none the means of our passage from the state of wrath to the state of grace; none the means of our passage from the state of death to the state of glory, save only that Lamb, qui tollit peccata mundi, even that Lamb of God, 
Joh. 1.36.  qui in sinu Patris est; that most holy immaculate Lamb Christ. For alas, alas, in the case we were in, could any other lamb have served the turn, think you? could a lamb out of the stock have been a sufficient ransom for a man's soul? for that which is of more worth than all the lambs in the whole world are? yea, in truth than the whole World itself is, or a whole world of worlds beside? Why, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (saith Proclus of Constantinople) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: the redemption of a soul is a greater purchase, than either the wealthiest Saint could have compassed, or the mightiest Angel; how much less than could a common lamb, trow you, have a considerable recompense, and counterprice, I say not for all the souls in this or that only particular Kingdom, but even for all the souls of all the people in all the Kingdoms under Heaven? But now such a Lamb it was that we wanted; such a Lamb that we stood in need of, even a Lamb by whose means and merit the destroying Angel might be made pass over, not the souls only of some few Israelites, in our little Angle only of the Land of Egypt; but over all the souls of all mankind, that either are or have been since the world began. Why, and blessed be God (and we have cause to feast for it I think) such a Paschal Lamb it is that we now have, God in mercy having so provided for us, that even his only Son, you see, should be our Lamb; for Pascha nostrum Christus est, our Passeover, saith my text, is Christ.  
Christ (I say) and in very deed such a true Paschal Lamb is Christ, such a perfect Passeover our Passeover, such a complete Passeover ours, as that to ours the Jewish Passeover was but as the shadow unto the substance, the Jewish Lamb to ours but as the type unto the truth. For proof hereof, do but see the Parallels, I beseech you, betwixt their Passeover and ours, betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as they call it, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, betwixt our crucifigible Passeover, and their legal one: and I pray tell me what think you? was there aught typified can we say in theirs, which in every respect, if we search the Gospel, was not fully verified (we shall find) in ours? 

First, their Lamb was one of the flock, we read; in like manner so was ours, even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (saith Eusebius Caesariensis) one that was made of a woman (saith St. Paul) that was true man.  
Secondly, 
Gal. 4 4.  Secondly, their Lamb was without blemish, we read; 
Exod. 12.5.  in like manner so was ours, even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (saith Proclus) one that knew no sin, saith S. Paul, that had no guile.  
Thirdly, their Lamb was to be offered, we read; in like manner so was ours, Oblatus est quia ipse voluit, saith the Prophet; through the eternal Spirit, saith S. Paul, 
Heb. 9.14.  he offered himself.  
Fourthly, and last of all, their Lamb, we read, was to be sacrificed; in like manner so was ours, Christus Pascha nostrum immolatus est, Christ our Passeover, saith my Text, is sacrificed.    
3 The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is rendered by diverse diversely: Mr Beza reading it, sacrificatus est, Christ our Passeover is sacrificed, whereas in the Vulgar Latin we find it, immolatus est, Christ our Passeover is slain. To speak properly, it is the word sacrificed that in my judgement doth here fit us best; that importing unto us not only the slaying of a thing, but also the slaying of a thing offered; without either of which, in true propriety of speech, Christ could never have been a sacrifice, and therefore consequently never Pascha nostrum, never in all reason our Passeover. This is evident by that difference which hath been observed by the learned, betwixt what is offered, what is sacrificed, and what only upon some common ordinary occasion is slain: because whereas a thing may be offered (they tell us) that is not slain, as the firstborn were amongst the Israelites; and slain that is not sacrificed, as the calf was by the Witch of Endor: yet truly sacrificed they say a thing cannot be, unless both offered it be, yea and slain too, either analogically or really, either in proportion or in truth. Christ was both, to show in every respect the truth and verity of his sacrifice, & oblatus est, & immolatus, Christ our Passeover, I say, was both. In Isai. 53.3. there the Prophet tells us that Christ was offered: in Dan. 9.26. there the Prophet tells us that Christ was slain: again, in Heb. 9.28. there the Apostle tells us that Christ was offered: in Rev. 5.12. there the Apostle tells us that Christ was slain. Oblatus est, he was offered, say Divines, in vita, in his life: Occisus est, he was slain, say they, in cruse, upon the cross. Oblatus est, he was offered that his slaughter might be a sacrifice: Occisus est, he was slain that his sacrifice might be complete. One thing I am sure of, so sanctified was Christ his slaughter by his being offered, and on the other side again, so accomplished was Christ his sacrifice by his being slain, as that not without cause it is, if we well consider it, that St. Paul saith not in this my Text here, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Christ our Passeover is offered, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Christ our Passover is slain; no, but to make it plain unto us how that slain he was, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, upon any common usual occasion, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in honour only of our God (which the learned observe to be the main and only difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉:) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, therefore, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith he, Christ our Passeover is sacrificed. Yea but to sacrifice is a Church-work, you will say, not to be done but by some Priest only; it would not be amiss therefore to make enquiry here by what Priest it was that Christ was sacrificed.  
Surely by none other Priest, save only by himself alone; it was himself only that here gave himself to be a sacrifice unto God now: 
Eph. 5.2. Heb. 9.14.  Tradidit hostiam semetipsum, saith Saint Paul, Christ did offer up himself.  
Ipse semetipsum? did Christ sacrifice himself? why, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as I have showed you) what ever is sacrificed is destroyed; and did Christ destroy himself, you will say? did he semetipsum interficere, slay himself?  
For answer: Though precisely necessary it be unto every sacrifice that the thing offered be destroyed, yet it is no way material at all by whom destroyed it be, whether by him that offereth it, or by some other, provided always that the party offering it, do willingly yield thereunto his consent. But now that Christ consented to his own death, at least wise that he did not hinder it, neither potentiae obicem opponendo, nor objectum actui subducendo, this is so plain, as that to doubt thereof is to doubt whether there be a Sun or no at noonday. For proof hereof, in Joh. 10. doth he not lay down his life (he tells us) of himself? yea, saith he not plainly, that no man taketh it from him whether he will or no, but that freely, voluntarily, of his own accord he doth lay it down of himself? Yea. Hence is it that through the eternal Spirit he is said to offer up himself. Neither wonder hereat, as at a thing unlikely, that in one and the same action, the same person, at the same time, should be both sacrifice anc Priest too; for I will tell you more than this (and it is matter of wonder indeed) when Christ our Passeover was now sacrificed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Epiphanius, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that he might show from henceforth how that all other sacrifices were for evermore to be abolished, and that together with his, all other, with all appendices of theirs, were to expire their last. Idem & ipse Pontifex, saith Origen, idem ponatur & hostia: both the sacrifice was the Priest, faith Epiphanius, and the Priest the Lamb, and the Lamb the Temple, and the Temple the Altar, and the Altar God, and God Man: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Christ being made all in all things, and all purposely for us, sacrificatus est pro nobis, Christ is sacrificed, saith my Text, for us.  
Well then, that we have a Passeover, you have seen (as I suppose) and that this Passeover of ours is Christ: you have seen also how or when it was that Christ here was Our Passeover, viz. not as he was slain without being offered; nor yet as he was offered without being slain: no, but as he was both slain and offered too, and so sacrificed: Christ our Passeover (saith my Text) is sacrificed. The last circumstance that now presenteth itself in this first part of my Text to be entreated of, is the finis cui, the person for whose sake it was that Christ was sacrificed; Sacrificatus est pro nobis, Christ was sacrificed (saith my Text) for us.  
For us! Not for himself then: no, there was no cause of death (God wots) in him: Ipse non meruit si non pro pietate mori, even his very Judge himself being his witness, there was nothing worthy of death to be found in him. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (saith Theodoret in the person of Christ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: he that owed not a death, took death now upon himself, and he subjected himself unto death here, over whom death in truth had not any right at all. And to speak sooth, well for us was it that Christ suffered not for himself; well for us, yea very well that he was not sacrificed for himself. For if the way of that old Serpent had been ever found upon this rock, 
Prov. 30.19.  if this our Lamb had had any spot in him, and so had deserved death in himself, could he ever then have been a fit Passeover, to have now been sacrificed (as he was) for us? No, Si ipse indebitam mortem non susciperet, (saith Gregory) nunquam nos à debita morte liberaret: if Christ (I may say) in any respect had been sacrificed for himself, impossible then had it been that in any respect he should have thus satified (as he did) for us: but now so it is, that in this my Text here, Christ was sacrificed (we read) for Us.  
For Us! Not for Angels then: no, as not for himself, so not for them neither; their nature he assumed not, their person he sustained not, he for them was not sacrificed, they by him were not delivered. It was for Us, for us men (saith our Creed) that the Son of God came down from heaven, that he was incarnate by the holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, that he was made man: for us men, for us it was that he was made lower than the Angels, quod expertus infirma, quod passus indigna, & quod demum per mortem crucis ad sua reversus; and that at the last he was thus sacrificed according to this Scripture. The truth is, had this my Text here been either penned or spoken unto us by some Angel, why then questionless as well for Angels as for Us might we have said that Christ was sacrificed: but now the words (you know) are Saint Paul's, and Saint Paul (you know) was a man, why then for us men it was that Christ was sacrificed (you see) for us men, I say, for us.  
Yea, but Saint Paul (you will say) was a Jew, and if Christ was sacrificed for Jew's only, very little (God knows) will be the benefit that will arise from hence to us. True, he was so indeed, himself hath told us, how that he was an Hebrew of the Hebrews: but here is the comfort yet, and without this, small heart should we have to keep the feast now; here is the comfort (I say) that this Epistle of his, whereof this my Text here is a part & portion, is not beati Pauli ad Hebraeos, the Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle unto the Hebrews; no, but ad Corinthios prima, his first Epistle unto the Corinthians. Now the City of Corinth stood in Greece (you must know) above seven hundred miles from Judea, and therefore questionless the people wrote to here were merely Gentiles, no Jews. Why, and so they were indeed, and because they were so, we may from hence gather therefore to our comfort, how that for us Gentiles it was that Christ was sacrificed, for us Gentiles, for us.  
For us! 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉! 
Rom. 11.  O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and goodness of our God how unscarchable are his judgements? how his ways past finding out? Can it ever have been believed that Christ should have been thus sacrificed (as he was) for us? for us sinners of the Gentiles? for us that were fare off? for us that were without God in the world, that the Son of God should be thus slain for us? Indeed, had it been for the Jews only that Christ had died here, the wonder questionless had not been so great, for they were God's inheritance, Gods chosen, the seed of Abraham God's friend; and if for a friend a man may chance to die sometimes, why not sometimes then for a friends seed too. But now as for us, we were not only abalienati à Deo, not only quoad statum externum, strangers; but we were also (we must remember) hosts, quoad dissidium internum, enemies: yea, & that as well in an active as in a passive sense, as well directly as by interpretation, as well for that we rebelliously hated God's rule over us, as for that we were in all things contrary unto his will: and is it not most strange and admirable (in this case we were in) that Christ should be sacrificed yet for us? the innocent for the guilty? the home-born for strangers? the only Son for enemies? Christ for us? Yet so it was, and that now it was so, it was no more than was foretell, no more than in Numb. 9 ver. 10.11. God himself had signified that so it should be. For besides that first Passeover there in the first month, read we not also of a second Passeover (if you mark it) in the second month? of a Passeover allowed by God to be slain purposely for those persons, who during the celebration of the first Passeover were in a journey a fare off)? Yes. But now, if you will but suffer S. Paul to unveil Moses his face, if you will but expound the Law there by the Gospel, Num. 9 ver. 10. by Ephes. 2. ver. 14. you shall then find how that not without a mystery it is, that the Hebrew of this word far off is observed by the learned for some special consideration to have extraordinary pricks over it; because by that second Passeover there permitted by God to those in a journey fare off, God did prefigure unto us Christ here sacrificed (you see) for us, even for us Gentiles in the flesh, strangers, for us who at that time were fare off, both from the kindred of the Jewish nation, and from the Covenants also of the promise, Sacrificatus est pro nobis, Christ is sacrificed (saith my Text) for us.  
Well then Christ died not (you have seen) for himself here, nor yet for Angels; no, nor yet only for Jews neither: for Saint Paul writing (you see) unto Gentiles, saith, that Christ is sacrificed for us. For us he saith; not for some few of us, under such a Roman Prelate only, or of such a faction: for us within the verges only of the Romish Hierarchy, or for us of the Congregation only in New England: No, sanguis Christi pretium est (saith St. Augustine) the Lamb here sacrificed (you see) is Christ; and therefore at too high a rate do they value themselves, and the blood of Christ do they prise too low, qui dicum aut illud tam parvum esse, ut solos Afros emerit; aut se tam magnos pro quibus solis illud sit datum: who being themselves (God he knows) but a sorry handful of men, if they compare themselves with the whole world, do yet think that this common Passeover of ours should be slain incommunicably for none but them alone. In Hebr. 2. ver. 9 Christ tasted death (we read) for every man: in 2. Corinth. 5. ver. 14. he died Saint Paul tells us for all: so that when in this my text here we do read of Christ our Passeover, how that he was sacrificed for us, it is in effect (you must know) but the very same with that in Rom. 8. ver. 32. where God delivered up (we read) his own Son, pro nobis omnibus, for us all. Howbeit, I would not that you should here mistake me, as if the benefit of Christ his passion (I thought) should redound to all men, and as if because in Heb. 2. Christ tasted death for every man, I might therefore hold, that every man should reap the fruit of it unto salvation. No, however it was that sufficienter (as we say) and in respect of the dignity of the price paid, Christ was sacrificed, we may say very well, for every one of us in the whole world: for, Tanti quid valet (saith Saint Augustine?) Quid, nisi totus orbis? Quid, nisi omnes gentes? what one worldly thing, except the whole world itself, could be worth the bloodshedding of the Son of God? yet because the Jewish Passeover was never killed (if you have observed it) but for such only as were made count of (as in Exodus 12. ver. 4. you may read, if it please you, more at large:) for this cause therefore (I say) only for them amongst us was Christ slain efficienter (saith Estiu●) to purpose: I mean for them only simpliciter (saith Topporus) for them only with effect, whom God having chosen from before all eternity to be Sons (as we may call them) of the society, shall now eat this Lamb in their several families, shall apply Christ unto themselves by faith. So then the reason why all are not saved is not want of merit in Christ, but of faith and grace in them that perish. That thus it was, what is more plain (I beseech you) than that in Galat. 3. ver. 27. where read we not how that the promise of the faith of Jesus, is given to them only that believe? Yes: and therefore, Si non credis (saith Saint Ambrose) non tibi passus est Christus: never dream thou (O man) that Christ was sacrificed for thee, in case it be so that thou dost not believe. The truth is, did Saint Paul writ here unto an infidel people, not converted, some ground than might profane miscreants have, to hope that Christ was sacrificed here for them: but the endorsement (if you mark it) of this Epistle runs, not unto all at Corinth without exception; no, but Ecclesiae Dei quae est Corinthi, unto them that call there on the name of Christ: now, Quo modo invocabunt in quem non crediderunt? how possibly can men invoke him in whom they have not as yet believed? Why then for Us believers it was that Christ was sacrificed (you see) for Us believers, I say, for Us.  
For Us (I say) and for such of us two ways may we say that Christ was sacrificed: for us, for our good; and for us, in our stead: for us, for our behoof; and for us, in our behalf. First, for our good: for we must not think that Christ our Passeover was slain in vain here; that the Son of God did dye gratis (as we say) that the sovereign fountain of Christ his blood was let out to run at waste: we must not think that this box of ointment, fare more precious than that of Spikenard elsewhere, was broken, spilt, and poured forth here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to no purpose. The good questionless is most infinite that doth redound unto us from Christ his sacrifice; yea so infinite, as that here in this life we cannot perfectly conceive it, because (alas) here in this life we do not perfectly receive it; the greatest part of what we enjoy, being the least part of what we expect: the greatest part of what we have in re, the least part of what we have in spe. Indeed, we may here meditate perhaps on some few particulars of what Christ hath gained for us by this his sacrifice, but the exact knowledge, as well as the full fruition of such benefits, being reserved especially for the life to come, beyond the faculty it is of our best Arithmetic to recount the sum of them, to compute them all.  
One thing I am sure of, the sole benefit that doth now accrue unto us by Christ his sacrifice, is not only, as some fond miscreants have dreamt, our confirmation in the Gospel: no, if this were all, I would gladly know then in what one particular above the rest, the death of Christ here doth more advantage us than the death might have done of some other man? Doth not S. Paul tell us of himself, how that what he suffered was for God's chosen sake, the Elect? that is (as it is Col. 1.24) for Christ his body sake the Church? Well, but how for the Elect? how for the Church it would be known? Marry (as my Lord of Sarum clears it in that most excellent exposition of his) non pro illis redimendis, non expiandis; not that he might satisfy for their sins, nor (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, St. Paul had not wherewith to pay his own scores, much less than would his stock hold out to defray the debts of other men) sed pro illis confirmandis & adificandis in doctrina Evangelica, but that by his sufferings he might confirm and establish them in the truth and certainty of what he had preached; and that by this means they being strengthened in the faith and verity of the Gospel, salutem consequantur quae est in Christo, they might obtain that salvation which is in Christ.  
But now did St. Paul do this by his death, 
2 Tim. 2.10.  and did Christ may we think no more by his? did the Disciple do this by his death, and did the Lord, may we think, no more by his? nay, in truth did Christ here no more for us now by his death, than what by his miracles (if we do but well bethink ourselves) he had done formerly (we shall find) in his life time? and what very well he might have done for us, though he had never tasted death at all? Why suppose, I beseech you, that after a long time spent amongst us here in this world, in all piety, innocency, and demonstration of the Spirit, our blessed Saviour at last, like the Prophet Eliah elsewhere, should have been charioted up into heaven without death, and from heaven should have given a specimen of his power and majesty unto us on earth here: might not even this alone have been enough, we may think, to have established us in the Gospel? this alone have been abundantly enough to have confirmed and strengthened us in the truth? Yes, I trow. Why then it is clear, I think, how ever some heretics have broached the contrary, that the good benefit & emolument which doth redound unto us by Christ his sacrifice, must surely in reason be somewhat else needs, besides our confirmation in what h●e had taught.  
Why and somewhat else also must it needs be, besides our institution in holiness, and besides our instruction by his example, in obedience, patience, and brotherly love. For, as St. Bernard sweetly, Quid prodest, saith he, quod nos instituit, si non restituit? wherein are we profited by Christ his instruction, if we be not also rescued by him from destruction? Indeed Christ his cross (I must confess) was our copy, Christ his passion our pattern; and therefore St. Peter tells us how that Christ did suffer for us, 
1 Pet. 2.21.  leaving us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an Example, ut nos vestigia ipsius insequeremur, that we might tread in his steps, 
Phil. 2.5.  both incheerfully submitting ourselves unto God's appointments, and in enduring patiently all wrongs, as also (which St. John pointeth at) in effectually loving one another, even unto the death. 
1 John. 3.16.  Well, but if Christ his passion doth no way benefit us at all, but by way of pattern only and ensample, what then shall we say of infants? very hard surely must it go with them needs, little fruit, little profit will there from Christ his death here arise to them: for can they conform themselves unto Christ his death, who have never heard as yet of Christ his life? or can they imitate, may we think, their Saviour's virtues, who have never imitated as yet their first parent's sin? In all likelihood, pro qualitate vulneris allata est medicina; in all probability, by the nature of the wound it is, that we can give the best guess at the plaster. But now sure I am some way else it was that Adam damnified us by his transgression quàm ex sola ostensione peccati, than only by opening a gap before us unto all lewdness, and therefore questionless some way else it was that Christ did benefit us now by his passion quàm ex sola ostensione virtutum, than only by chalking out a way before us unto all goodness.  
Why and so it was indeed: for the truth is Christ our Passeover (we may say) was sacrificed for the remission of our sins, for our reconciliation with the Father, and, which followeth necessarily upon these two, for our redemption from hell. Whence else is it (I would fain know) that Christ his blood in holy scripture, is styled our ransom, our atonement and the propitiation for our sins? Is is not to make it plain unto us, how that Christ his death here was as well expiatory as exemplary? and that Christ our Passeover was now slain (we must know) as well ut daret justitiam, as ut doceret; as well ut infunderet charitatem, as ut ostenderet? pro nobis redimendis, or (as it is in one of our Church her collects if you have observed it) that he might be a sacrifice for sin, 
2. Sunday after Easter.  as well as pro nobis instituendis, that he might be an ensample unto us of godly life?  
But now if any shall question us how Christ his death here could be the expiation of our sins, and not rather intruth (being so execrable a sacrilege as it was) a further aggravation of our guilt▪ it cannot be improbable, since God was so highly offended with our first parents, and in them with the whole world, only for the eating of that forbidden fruit; that he hath fare greater cause (we must think) in all likelihood to be much more enraged now against mankind for this so horrid, this so inhuman a murder acted upon the person of his only Son? For answer hereunto, know thus much, that Christ his death here, we say, was our atonement, not as out of malice and most unjustly it was procured by the Jews, but as most obediently and in mere love it was taken upon him by himself, Christ his charity being of more force, we are sure, to acquire and purchase for us God's favour, than the spite & rancour of the whole world could be to incense against us God's wrath. To this purpose what saith S. Bernard in his 119. Epist. against Abailardus? Marry, Non mors (saith he) sed voluntas placuit sponte morientis: it was not simply death that did here so please God, but the will of him that so freely died, and that by death did both unsting death, and work salvation, and restore righteousness, and ransack hell, & enrich heaven, and vanquish principalities, and subdue powers, & pacificantis omnia quae in coelo sunt & quae in terra, and that did gather together in one all things both which are in heaven and which are in earth.  
By all this it is most clear and evident, as I suppose, that Christ was sacrificed here for our good; yea for our good, not as some hellbred heretics have vented, of edification only and instruction, but of remission also, and of reconciliation, and of redemption from hell. Yea but what then? is this all (you will say?) No marry is it not, you must know; this is not all yet: for what think you, I pray, of that in Virgil? Unum pro multis dabitur caput? Is it not a phrase, I beseech you, of the same force with unum multorum loco dabitur caput? What again of that in Terence, I will marry thee for him? Is it not as much in every respect as if he had said in other words, I will marry thee in stead of him? In the 9 to the Rom. St. Paul wisheth, that for his brethren he were cursed: for his brethren doth he say? pro fratribus? that is, fratrum loco, in his brethren's place. Again in the 2. to the Corinth. S. Paul tells us, how that for Christ we are ambassadors: for Christ doth he say? pro Christo? that is, Christi vice, in Christ his stead. But the truth is, if in this my text here Christ were not sacrificed for us now in this sense, how cometh it to pass then that by one of the Fathers he is said nostro nomine suscipere supplicia? how, that by an other he is said nostra pro nobis luere debita? yea how cometh it to pass then that he is styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the pledge and hostage for our souls? Doth not all this make plain unto us what himself hath taught us in S. Matthewes Gospel, viz. that he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; stake his soul down in the roomth of ours, and so by consequent that Christ was sacrificed, we may say very well for us? for us? that is, vice nostrâ, by way of commutation in our stead.  
But now, that to be sacrificed in our stead, is more than to be sacrificed for our good, this is plain, because whereas he that dieth for our good, may yet not die perhaps in our stead; on the other side he that dieth in our stead, cannot but die also for our good, we may be sure we have even' the whole army of noble Martyrs bearing witness with us unto this truth, who all in their several orders having died for our good, yet amongst them all, was there any one of them that ever died we can say in our stead? No, acceperunt justi, non dederunt coronas: how precious so ever all their deaths were in the sight of their Creator, yet for all that (saith Leo in his 12. sermon upon the passion) nullius insontis occisio propitiatio fuit mundi: the very best of them all could never say, how that he died in the behalf of the believing world. Singulares in singulis mortes fuerunt, each man of them in particular died in particular to himself alone. How rich so ever they all were in the gifts & graces of the Spirit, yet hand alterius quisquam debitum suo funere solvit, yet for all that could not any one of them undertake the ransom of his enthralled brother. It was only Christ (saith one) amongst the sons of men, in whom all of us we may say did suffer; in whom all of us we may say were crucified, in whom all of us we may say did die; Christ only, Christ in whom all of us we may say were slain, and of whom therefore we may say very well how that he was sacrificed here for us: for us? in our steed, as well as for us, for our good; for us, in our behalf, as well as for us, for our behoof.  
Yea but why Christ thus for us (you will say?) why not we rather for ourselves? Cum sis ipse nocens moritur cur victima pro te? since we men were they that had offended, why should Christ an innocent thus die for us?  
Why? why not? If God had so determined, why not? Cum aliunde reatus, cur non aliunde justitia? since by another it was that we were engaged, why by another also may we not be enlarged? An justitia justi super eum erit (saith Saint Bernard) & impietas impii non erit super eum? shall the righteousness of the righteous be upon him alone; and shall the wickedness of the wicked be not only upon him, but upon us too? It was by Adam (you know) that we were made sinners, and why by Christ therefore may we not be made righteous? It was by Adam (you know) that we were all addicted, and why by Christ therefore may we not be all enfranchised? You will say, that Adam perhaps was our father: and what? was not Christ (I beseech you) our brother? or is it equal (do you think) that that son who beareth the burden of his father's sin, should yet be debarred from what ever benefit might accrue unto him from his brother's righteousness? Assure yourselves, there is as great an efficacy in Christ his blood, as in Adam's seed; in Christ his blood to cleanse us, as in Adam's seed to stain us; in Christ his blood for our purgation, as in Adam's seed for our pollution. Indeed, were there betwixt Christ and us no manner relation at all, somewhat improbable then might it seem unto humane reason, that by means here of Christ his sacrifice, the wrath of God should be made to pass from us. But now, besides the nearness of Christ his conjunction unto us, naturâ, regno, vadimonio (he being not only our brother, but even our king too; not only our king, but also our pledge:) besides this (I say) what saith the Scripture (I beseech you?) Marry, we are all in Christ (saith S. Paul) one body: so that there is as strait an union betwixt us and Christ (you see) as betwixt the members and the head. But now it being so common a thing in the body natural to punish one member for another; for instance, to brand the forehead for the tongues lavishness, and for the theft which the hand hath committed to scourge the back: why should it seem unreasonable unto us, that in the body mystical Christ our head should die for us here? especially too, Christ being not only willing (we are sure) thus for our sakes to undergo death, not only able by his own strength powerfully to raise up himself again from death, but by death also to overcome death, to purchase a life for us which shall never end in death, and, to the endless praise of God's boundless glory, to save us from dying who must have died for ever else?  
Well, you have seen at length (I suppose) what Christ hath done: What! yea, and for whom too. What he hath done, do I say? what he suffered rather; for, sacrificatus est (you see) he was sacrificed, and needs must he suffer (I trow) even to destruction, whosoever he is that shall be sacrificed. Why, and to make it plain unto us that Christ did so, some translations read it therefore, He was slain: Christus Pascha nostrum immolatus est, Christ our Passeover (say they) is slain. He was slain (I say) and that not for himself (I shown you) innocent Lamb that he was, not for himself: no, nor yet for Angels, no, nor yet only for Jews neither; but for Jews and Gentiles together: for Us, for Saint Paul, for Corinthians, for Circumcised, for Uncircumcised, for Hebrews, for Greeks', Christ is sacrificed (saith my Text) for us. For us, yea even for all of us, sub conditione (as we say) & in causa: for albeit in Christ none but the Elect were redeemed, yet was the whole world redeemed (saith my Lord of Sarum) by Christ: but for Us of the faithful, God's children, simpliciter (I told you) & cum effectu: for us, by way of edification, nostro commodo, for our good: for us, by way of expiation, nostro loco, in our stead: for us, per viam confirmationis, for our profit and behoof: for us, per viam surrogationis, in our person and behalf. Let us pass now from what was done on Christ his part, unto what remaineth to be done on ours; from the Beneficium unto the Officium, from the dogmatic part of my Text unto the practical, from the doctrine of faith, the Credendum, Christ his bounty to us upon Good-Friday, unto the rule of life, the Agendum, our duty to him now at Easter; yea let me tell you again not at Easter only, but during the whole course here of this our life.  
One thing I am sure of (however Dr. Kellison would bear the world in hand that we teach the contrary) never the doctrine was it for aught I know, never the dream (as yet) of any Church Protestant, that because Christ on his part hath done so much for us, we from henceforth therefore need do nought on ours. No, even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we have all been taught (I hope) how that Christ was as well a Prophet as a Priest, 
2 Tim. 3.15.  as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as well a Prophet to teach us our future duties, 
Heb. 5.1.  as a Priest to satisfy for our passed debts: Even this my Text here doth evince thus much, where the Apostle having taught us (you see) how that Christ was sacrificed, yea and that he was sacrificed too our Passeover, to the end that the wrath of God might be made to pass from us; doth he now leave it (can we say) unto ourselves alone, to make what use we list of this so heavenly a doctrine which he hath delivered? doth he refer it wholly now unto our own discretions only to pass by this so infinite mercy of God in what sort we please? No, that he doth not: for as in the seventh Verse he hath showed us what concerning this point we are to believe, so now in the eight Verse doth he also inform (you see) how in consideration hereof we are to live: as before in the preceding part of my Text by way of doctrine he hath taught us what in love to us Christ did suffer, so now in that which followeth doth he by way of use teach us what in thankfulness unto Christ we must do: viz. that in a grateful acknowledgement of this his so unspeakable favour towards us, we must from henceforth solemnly keep a feast: Christ our Passeover is sacrificed, let us therefore (saith Saint Paul) keep the feast.  
The word in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which as well bids an holiday (you must know) as indicts a feast, and every whit as properly by Tremelius is rendered festum celebremus, let us keep the holiday, as by the vulgar Latin and some others epulemur, let us keep the feast. Our last English version reads it both ways, and not but upon very good grounds too doth it so read it, it not being unknown unto us how that both these ways men did solemnize a Passeover of old amongst the Jews: viz. Et festum celebrando, & epulando, both by making a holiday, and by keeping a feast too. Why, and in the name of God both these ways let us Christians celebrate now this our Passeover; because Christ our Passeover is sacrificed, let us therefore keep an holiday: because Christ our Passeover is sacrificed, let us therefore also keep a feast.  
First, festum celebremus, let us keep an holiday, & that by observing carefully an holy rest, as from sin every day, for never upon any day may we rest in that (Christ for us being not therefore slain now, that we from henceforth might live in sin) so upon all these and the like solemn holidays from all works also of servile labour, from all worldly works of what kind soever they be, which without notorious detriment cannot be well forborn. Besides what we may learn in this point even from very Heathens, whose several holidays (we find) they did count polluted, if after notice once given thereof per praeconem, a man upon any such day was found at his work: besides this (I say) I pray tell me, 
B. Ely, Sab. pag. 222.  doth not a learned Prelate of ours, in a late elabourate Treatise of his, amongst sundry other King's laws to this purpose, produce a law enacted by our own Alured, that a freeman, if he wrought in quavis festa die, he was either to be divested of this liberty, or to be sound fined for it; a servant either corium perdere, either to lose his skin, or to redeem it with his coin? And no marvel truly, for even Gods own law it is in Leviticus 23. it is Gods own law there (I say) that bid adieu we should unto all worldly affairs upon all holidays, that upon all holy-days (as the very name may prompt us to do) we should forbear to mingle ourselves with what belongs to earth.  
Not that it is God's will that we should now be idle (we may think) or pass the Holiday away in doing nothing. No, qui nihil agit malè agit, he that doth nought must needs do naught, we may be sure. Even very heathen people have seen thus much, though they had the light only, God knows, of blind nature: and therefore amongst the ancient Romans the goddess, it seems, had no Temple allowed her within the City, but abroad elsewhere without the Walls, in some extreme parts of the Suburbs; intimating unto us hereby, how that idleness is a vice not tolerable in any State, as being indeed the undoubted mother of all ungodliness and sin. But what now? will God suffer, do you think, upon an holiday, what is not to be endured, we may be sure, upon any day? or is it an idle rest, do you think, that he always requireth at our hands, when upon such days as these are he interdicteth labour? wherein then, I wonder, would this our rest differ even from the very rest of our jumenta? from our ox his rest at the stall, and from our horses rest in the stable? for sure I am, as well as we, even they are to rest also from all travel. It is recorded by Cato concerning one of the Scipio's, how that he was never less alone (he should say) than when alone: and, Nunquam minus otiosus quam cum otiosus, never less idle than when he was idle. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (saith a Divine, whom St. Basil speaks of) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I know not what others may do, but sure am I, saith he, that I am never more busied, than when I do rest: why, and never more busied let us at any time be, than when God doth call us, as here, to keep an holiday; never more exercised, though neither in sinful nor secular affairs, yet in all such works as do concern the day.  
Now what are they? Sure I am, not to mad and gad it up and down the streets, to sir and smoke it in Tobacco shops, to roar and revel it in Taverns, (and as it were in contempt of that destroying Angel (whose sword as yet, you fee, is not quite sheathed) to lay purposely aside all honest labour, that we may the more greedily prostitute ourselves unto all lewd excess? No, there are both laws Imperial, (I am sure) and Ecclesiastical, strictly restraining men from these exorbitancies; and that especially too upon all such days, as for order and policy sake we do call Holy. And no marvel truly, for, Haeccine solennes dies decent, saith Tertullran, quae alios dies non decent? or have we no other way, may we think, to make an holiday, than by making ourselves thereon the more unholy? Indeed, were they Liberalia which we do now celebrate, were they days dedicated to the god of Riot, unto drunken Bacchus I mean, on whose several Festivals men might both speak and do, it seems, what ever they listed; then wonder I could not if that we did keep these days now with fare more looseness than I hope we do. But now, besides that he is a sober God whom we are to worship now (as the Athenians said sometimes of their Minerva) a God who holds not liberty, I am sure, to be piety, or occasion of rioting to be religion; neither ever did teach us, as yet, when we are to keep an holiday, to express our public joy by our public shame. Besides this, I say, I pray bethink yourselves, is not the feast we keep now the feast of Passeover? Yes. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith Saint Gregory, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the word Pascha, saith he, imports a passing, as of that destroying Angel from over the Israelites, so of the Israelites themselves also from out of Egypt: why in the name of God then, if indeed your purpose be to keep a true Paschall holiday now, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, yea and that too in such a fashion, as whereby Gods destroying Angel may be made to pass at length from us, why let us pass then with all diligence from what ever courses heretofore we learned in Egypt, unto such works only and religious exercises, as shall best beseem (we know) Gods own chosen Israelites, viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from works of sin unto works of grace, à rebus inferioribus ad superiora, from works of vanity unto works of piety: and (that we may do opiu diei in die suo, in it own day the work of the day) from the base drudgery works of the flesh and devil, unto such as are true holiday works indeed.  
Would you know what these works are? Why, do but uncase the word (I beseech you) the Latin feriae (I mean) into its first swaddling clothes, and you shall then find, how that a right holiday work is either ferire victimas, or far dona, you shall then find how that a true holiday work, is either to slay our beasts for sacrifice, or to bring hither our gifts. One thing I am sure of, both these works did the Jewish people heretofore upon their holidays, as unto men versed any whit in sacred story it is most evident and clear. Why, and in the name of God (if we will keep the holiday aright) both these works also let us do on ours now: because S. Paul his will is that we should keep an holiday, let us slay our beasts therefore now for sacrifice; because Saint Paul his will it is that we should keep an holiday, let us bring hither therefore now our gifts too.  
First let us ferire victimas, slay our beasts for sacrifice: not those beasts we do read of in the law; no, I do doubt very much how willing many of us would be to part in these days with such beasts as those were; neither if we all were willing hath every one of us (can I think) any such beasts now to part with; neither if we all had them, doth God now (I am sure) require any such beasts at our hands. What say I? doth he not require them, do I say? nay, to speak sooth, he doth now reject them; for sacrificia & victimas noluisti (saith David) as for all legal sacrifices (saith St. Paul) God will none of them now. 
Psal. 40.6. Heb. 10.5.  Indeed a time once there was, I must confess, when God required such beasts (not for that he himself then had the least need of them; for the beasts of the forest are mine all of them (saith God) and so are the cattles too upon a thousand hills; and therefore, as S. Justine Martyr rightly, we can never think that any thing can be wanting unto him who is Lord of all things:) why but yet at that very time was the slaying and sacrificing of such beasts, only a ceremony, no standing law; only a ceremony, I say, which had only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the name gives, no standing law which was to reach unto us.  
No? Was it not so, will some say? Why, what are those beasts then, we would know, that must be slain by us now (you tell us) upon this our holiday?  
Surely not the beasts of our herds (you must understand) no, but the beasts rather in our hearts, our unreasonable affections, our brutish lusts, these especially are the beasts which we must now down with: these beasts if we shall still stable in us, though slay whole Hecatombs we should of those other beasts, yet when all comes to all, shall we but keep a beastly holiday (I dare say) a day no way pleasing unto him that was now slain for us. These beasts therefore let us now to pot with, though they be never so dear unto us, let not our hand spare them: no, whether the hot petulant goat of carnal lust it be, or the rash headstrong ram of unadvised anger, yea or that proud unruly beast either (which I am afraid to meddle with almost, so generally fostered is he (I see) both in town and country, there being hardly that family amongst us in the whole kingdom where we shall not hear him muttering and murmuring at some time or other either against Church or State:) would you that I should name him unto you? Why, if I shall not offend then in so doing, it is that stiffnecked Bull (I mean) of— Discontent.  
Now all these beasts being thus slain by us (as oh if it were God's will that in truth they were) let us not by and by set up our rest here, as if the whole work now (we thought) of the day were done: no, he that here gave himself (ye see) to be slain our Passeover, doth expect oblations (we must think) as well as sacrifices, and looks that in celebrating unto him this our holiday, we should as well bring our gifts hither, as here slay our beasts. One thing I am sure of, as upon other festivals, so in particular on this of sweet bread, Gods express order it was, 
Deut. 16.16.  that there should not any man appear before him with an empty hand. The people shall offer thee (saith the Prophet) in the 110. Psalm (speaking of these very times now under the Gospel) oblationes voluntarias, 
Ver. 3.  freewill offerings, in die virtutis tuae, in the day of thy power; or (as Rivet and some others will have it) in die exercitus tui, in the day of thine army. But now in the whole compass of the year, are there any days, the days so properly (we may say) of Christ his power, yea and dies exercitus too, & copiarum ejus, the days, in truth, of his hosts and armies, as are these very days, when in the like places to this, the selected bands of Christ his Church do troop together thus, solemnly to commemorate that most stupendious act of Christ his power, in most powerfully raising up himself from the dead? In any case then let us not fail to manifest ourselves a most willing people unto Christ now upon these days; upon these days (I say) these solemn holidays, these days of Christ his army, these days of Christ his power. And that as by bringing hither unto him that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that which of all other gifts is indeed the best, the hallowed oblation of a good intention, offered upon the unstained altar of an honest heart (for the sacrifice of God is the heart (saith David) and what ever gift we shall bring him without the heart, it will but prove ominous at length & prodigious, as did that heartless sacrifice sometimes of King Pyrrhus;) so because the intentions of the heart are seldom real (we may be sure) where they do not express themselves (when time serves) by the outward act; even by the word of the mouth when it hath means and opportunity so to do, yea and when it hath means and opportunity so to do, by the hand too: (for, for mine own part I have ever held (I must tell you) their reasons to be as brainless, as their religion is heartless (I fear) who in excuse of their unbended knees, and unbared heads in Divine Service, do allege God's acceptance only of the heart:) for this cause therefore (I say) together with the incense of our hearts, let us bring hither the calves also of our lips, lauding and praising God's name in this great celebrity of ours, as for that we do yet live, here to assemble ourselves, when so many (you see) on either hand of us have this year been swept away; so for that we can assemble ourselves here to magnify him for his infinite mercies towards us in Christ Jesus, slain of purpose that he might be a Paschal sacrifice (you see) for Us, who never had one before, even for Us. This unvalued mercy of his, let us never cease to set forth, never at any time forget to speak of, especially not at this time, when to this very purpose (you see) we are to keep the holiday, that as the word feriae imports, we might fari, here speak of these things unto God his praise. Yea, but what then? Will it serve the turn (will some say) if we do bring hither unto God our lips only? or may we put God off (may we think) with a bare lip-gift alone, as the King of Cowlam (they say) doth his Pagod?  
Beloved, Nequam verbum est (as he in Plautus saith well) bene vult, nisi qui bene facit; and therefore because he that accepts the will for the deed when nought but the will can be had, doth yet expect the hand with the lips, when men may give the hand; for this cause therefore (I say) let as many of you as God hath given hands unto as well as lips, present God now, as with the calves of your lips, so with the very best & choicest fruits also of your hands: imparting liberally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and according every man unto what hath been lent you by God, somewhat Aris Dei, unto the repairing and beautifying (I mean) of decayed Churches, Christ his mansions; somewhat Charis Dei, unto the relief and succour (I mean) of distressed Christians, Christ his members; and that as for his sake, by whose only merit it is that we are already passed from wrath to grace, so for his service too, by whose only power it will be that we shall hereafter pass from death to glory, there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (that I may speak in Damascens phrase) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, there to keep with Christ an everlasting holiday, throughout all eternity in the heavens; whither he bring us all who hath dearly bought us all, even Jesus Christ the righteous: to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed (as most due is) all honour, and glory, and praise, and power, and dominion, from this time forth and for evermore. Amen, Amen.   

A SERMON, PREACHED IN S. PAUL'S CHURCH IN LONDON, BY JOHN SQUIER PRIEST, Vicar of Saint Leonard Shoreditch, in MIDDLESEX.  
LONDON, Printed by ROBERT YOUNG, for Humphrey Blunden, 1637.   

To the most worthy pair of most religious persons, Sir Alexander Saint-John, and his virtuous Lady.  
THis Text and Sermon doth exhort to good works. It is my riches, that even in my poor Parish there are some, who preach this exhortation better by their practice, than I enforce it by my preaching: of whom (be it spoken without either disparaging them, or flattering you) ye are the chief. This hath been long printed in my thought, and now my thought is printed: I account it a main branch of my happy content, that I have two such chosen people, so zealous of good works, living under my ministry. And that you may long live So, and There, by the increase of God's Grace, and to the increase of God's Glory, is the perpetual prayer of him, who is  
Yours in our Jesus, JOHN SQUIER.   

A SERMON PREACHED IN St. PAUL'S CHURCH IN LONDON.  MATTH. 5.16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 
THat City of Antioch, Acts. 11.26. doth in some sort resemble this Text: from this place are the servants of our Saviour first and principally called Christians. For howsoever as there was in Logic, although there be in Theologicke, a continual contention betwixt the Reals and Nominals; yet do I really side with, and ex animo subscribe to the former. Our talkative Christians, who are like the Nightingale, Vox & praeterea nihil, nothing but voice, I deem them and doom them fit for the cage than the Church, sing they never so melodiously. But I hope and pray that we may learn Christ otherwise from this text. This text is Christ his Institution of a Christian, which consisteth in doing the deeds of Christianity. The deeds of Christianity are here described by the Matter and Form thereof. The Matter of Christianity is here called 

1. literally, Good works:  
2. metaphorically, Light.   The Form of Christianity followeth, in following the metaphor, and that in three particulars: Good works must shine, they must be seen, and they must be shown. 

1. Good works being termed light, we know that light, lucerna is of light esteem if it be not lighted: my Text saith therefore that good works must shine:  
2. a light that is lighted, and doth shine, yet it may be kept in a closet, or put under a bushel: the Ubi or proper place of the candle is a candlestick; it followeth therefore, our good works must shine before men, that they may see them.  
3. Though a candle do shine before men, and men do see it, yet if it be so placed, that a man cannot see to write, or read, or work that which doth principally concern him, he is deprived of the principal benefit thereof: wherefore the remnant of my Text showeth that a Christian must apply this Candle of his soul to the eye of his soul, that he may see to do the grand work of his soul, to Honour his God; that they may glorify his Father which is in heaven.   Thus doth Christ instruct every one to be a Christian, how to do Bonum, and that benè, thereby to become bonus. Our light must so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. Now that God give us His grace, that we may give him That glory.  
Undertaking this heavenly work of heavenly edification, consider we first the Materials thereof, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, your good works. If Christianity be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that Christian is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an Idlesby in that building: because mere knowledge is to greater damnation, Luk. 12.47. and mere knowledge is in the damned, in the devil, Luk. 4.10. Omnes Grae cinorunt quid sit honestum, soli Lacedaemonii faciunt quod est honestum: All Christians Know, true Christians Do Christianity.  
The fruit doth show the tree, Luk. 6.44. a good man like the good tree Psal. 1. doth bring forth his fruit in due season; like the tree of life, Rev. 22. in many seasons: yea like the tree in Alcinous his orchard, in every season. Aaron's rod did not only bloom. Philosophy saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, felicity is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, operation, not speculation: and the Moralists, that their Art is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not an affection but an action. Nature frameth men with ten fingers to one tongue: but we invert it, Oraque centum, like Stentor, we open our mouths wide, when we should open our hands wide, Deut. 15.11. But surely they are no excellent servants who will only wear the Livery; therefore, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ saith, Christians must do the works of Christianity.  
Such as are Christians must do the works of Christianity: and good Christians good works. What? absolutely good works? No, I absolutely deny that. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Sanctum non est quod geritur sanctum, nisi sanctè quod sanctum est peragitur: Dew attendit tum actum, tum affectum, saith St. Cyprian. Where there are good works in perfection, there must be both a perfect action external, and perfect affection internal. But quis idoneus ad haec? liveth the man that dareth say he can discharge it? Alas, alas, we have many commissions, more omissions: In the most vigilant Christian, Gregory's two worms will eat out the core and cor of his most hearitie action: superbia aut desidia, either sloth in them, or pride of them, will constrain the best Christian to ponder the terminus diminuens, remaining: opera bona Nostra, they are Our good works, and therefore blemished in their goodness.  
Christ doth, and Christians may call their works, good works: for they are wrought out of a good matter, the holy Scriptures, 1 Sam. 15.22. by a good efficient, the holy Spirit, Joh. 15.5. and to a good end, to hollow Gods holy name, in my text for this day, and in our prayer for every day. Primitively, our works are pure, are clear in the fountain; but derivatively muddy and dirty in the channel and kennel of our performance. If once they be Our works, Our God doth know it, and hath said it, All our righteousness is but as filthy rags, Isai. 64.6. This is enough to vilify our best actions, and to humble our best affections, that they are called bona opera Nostra, Our good works.  
Passing the dignity, proceed we to the necessity of our good works, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Let your light shine. Christ is Imperative, and Christians are Optative, that they may be Potential, and Indicative, manifestly and powerfully to stop the mouths of ignorant malicious people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by our good works, and godly conversation, 1 Pet. 2.15. I will not cram your attention with that Crambe, those common Scriptures for good works, obvious to our Children and Catechists, to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to our very Novices in Religion: only I will appeal to all your memories, that all the Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, Disciples, Martyrs, Fathers, Confessors, and sound Professors, did ever strive to practise that opus sidei, that work of faith, 1 Thess. 1.3. and to walk in that narrow way to heaven, which is paved with good works. For my part, I am through, that those who go not in this via, shall never attain that patria. Though Bennard saw not A'll, yet he saw enough in this point, and they are blind Bayards, who be so bold as to gainsay it. I am transported with this point, and as it were translated by this point, into a pilgrimage towards heaven: like that of Jacob to Padan Aram, Gen. 28. me thinketh I have a vision of a ladder reaching to heaven, and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a multitude of the effects of good works, as Angels ascending and descending, as messengers to tell us, that we shall climb the ladder, where God standeth at the top thereof.  
1 At the foot, below the foot of that ladder, lieth Man: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, yea, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Before Hell was, we were prevented from Hell, and elected into Heaven in Christ Jesus. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and Charter of our enfranchisment is in God's Predestination: the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or counterpane thereof, is in our own Conversation. By doing good works, we may and must make our election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10.  
2 In the fall of Adam, we, all Adamites, fell into Hell. Titiones ab incendio, out of which fire we are snatched by our blessed Redeemer: our good works are the fruits and signs of that our blessed redemption. For if we be the children of Abraham, we will do the deeds of Abraham, Joh. 8.39.  
3 As we were Titiones ab incendio, so that we be not Titiones ad incendium: that we do not relapse to our ruin; but that we are assured that we are justified, and shallbe glorified. The evidence of this assurance is given by the Spirit Causatiuè, by way of operation: but it ariseth also from our works, effectiuè, by way of declaration. If we keep God's Commandments, we dwell in him, and he in us: and herehy we know that he abideth in us, 1 Joh. 3.24.  
4 That we are elected, redeemed, justified, yea and Glorified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, according to the first fruits, and gracious fore feeling thereof. We must render our regale vectigal: our thankfulness must be our tribute to God, for that we are made Citizens and Subjects of his Kingdom. And our thanks must be by our deeds, we must gratias agere; gratias dicere is no phrase. Like Cinaetus to his King, we must say, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. When we have done what we can, we are but unprofitable servants, Luke 17.10: Though we shall be unprofitable, yet must we not be unthankful servants: and by our good works we must declare it.  
5 True thankfulness for our benefits, doth always produce true love to our benefactor. Now this love must not be Gyges, to walk inconspicuous; nor an Adombezech, to have no Fingers; nor like Logic, may it be clutcht-fisted, but like Rhetoric, it must be open handed. Love doth dwell at the sign of the open hand, and the motto is bona opera vestra, Your good works. If we love Christ, we will keep his commandments, Joh. 14 21.  
No servant to Love: Love there fore is Obedient; and Obedience is the foundation of my Text. I am Obedient to my Creator, saith every Creature: Tu loquere, ut te videam. Show it by thy works, saith Christ to us Christians; and we Christians should answer our Christ, as the Israelites did Moses, All that the Lord hath spoken will we do, Exod. 19.8.  
7 But our consciences, mille testes, a great cloud of witnesses, complain to Us, of Us, that we have not returned those thanks, nor embraced that love, nor expressed that obedience to our blessed Creator. It standeth us then in hand to repent us of those notorious Omissions. But what is repentance? only mortification, and vivification; a putting off the old man, and a putting on the new man, Ephes. 4.22. & 24. that is, the eschewing of evil works, and the ensuing of good works. We say we repent, how do we show it? It is possible, that all our gestures, postures, sighs, prayers, and profession, may be but Domestici testes, partial false witnesses, or vainglorious Pseudo-Martyrs. Deus testis; that we do truly repent (if we be not rotten hypocrites) our good works before God and man will witness it.  
8 Next, no repentance! no faith. These twins, like those of Hypocrates, will thrive or pine together. These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Day stars, will rise and set in the same minute. Like Ruth and Naomi, they will live and die together. A carnal neglect of good works will kill them both. But for faith! a wording professor (as the Harlot used her Infant, 1 King. 3.16) doth smother it, and take away the breath of it. For as the body without breath is dead, so faith without works is dead also, James 2.26.  
9 If our faith fail, it is fit that we should fall to our prayers: Lord increase our faith, Luk. 17.5. Our prayers are heavy, like Moses hand: we cannot hold them up against braving Amalek, against our bold temptations: our goods works are Hur and Aaron to support them. Our prayers are Sagittae Salutis, 2 King. 13.17. the arrows of salvation: goods works, are our Elisha, to teach us to shoot. Good works are the feathers to those arrows, which make them fly as high as heaven; and, like Jonathans' Bow, never to turn back empty, but ever to bring a blessing with them. A voice was heard from Heaven, saying, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God, Act. 10.4.  
10 Yea good works are not only helps of prayers, but they are prayers also. I conceive prayers to be vocal sacrifices, and sacrifices to be real prayers. Now good works are sacrifices: therefore prayers. I dispute not the distinctions, whether good works be sacrificia propitiatoria, sacrifices to assuage God's vengeance for our transgressions; by our piety for our sacrilege, or by our charity for our avarice: whether goods works be sacrificia impetrantia, to beg a blessing upon our King and kingdom, upon our families and persons: or whether they be only sacri ficia Eucharistica, the tribute of our thankfulness. But this I know; our good works are sacrifices, true sacrifices, sacrifices wherewith God is pleased, yea well pleased. For S. Paul saith, To do good and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices is God well pleased, Heb. 13.16.  
11 Hereunto will I be bold to annex a transcendent goodness of good works. I must speak it truly, you must hear it cautelously. Good works do purge us from our sins. I transgress little from the phrase, nothing from the sense of S. Pet. 1. Pet. 1.22. We purify ourselves in obeying the truth. Indeed this property of purging sins, properly, by way of redemption, is peculiar to the prerogative of Christ: the blood of Jesus Christ doth cleanse us from all our sins, saith S. Joh. 1. Joh. 1.7. but instrumentally, and by way of mortification, and repressing our concupiscence: as it is mentioned by S. Paul to Col. 3.5. we may ascribe this good work to good works. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged, Pro. 16.6. I will therefore presume to the best man under this roof, under heaven, to come near and say, Father, go to Jordan, wash and be clean. Cleanse yourselves by good works, and a godly conversation.  
12 We are Gods servants; do our frail appetites invite us be hirelings? will mercenary motives make us to be good? to do good? our good works shall produce a good reward, a double reward, yea a triple, temporal, spiritual and eternal, 1 Tim. 4.8. Do not censure, nor suspect this doctrine for Popish and implying merits: no, out of my judgement, not affection, I abhor all Popery, and of all Popery I abhor this Heresy, that proud presumptuous point of Merits. But that good works shall have their remard▪ it is Saint Paul's doctrine, Hebr. 11.6. and we have Saint Paul's distinction to clear it from Popery, Rom. 4.4. our reward shall be of Grace, not of Debt, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith S. Basil: and S. Ambrose seemeth to speak the same sentence in Latin, Donum liberalitatis, non stipendium virtutis; a reward proceeding from the benignity of the rewarder, not from the dignity of the rewarded: he can be no way meritorious. I have heard that power belongeth unto God, and that thou, Lord, art merciful: for thou rewardest every man according to his work, Psal. 62.12.  
13 Moreover, the good works of good Christians, shall have a reward according to the proportion of their goodness. He which soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly: and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully▪ 2. Cor. 9.6. They that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; but they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever, Dan. 12.3. The patiented Innocents' which start not, and shrink not at the groundless and endless barking of black-mouthed slanderers; They are blessed, and commanded joyfully to expect the augmentation of their blessings. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a reward, even a great reward in the Kingdom of Heaven, Math. 5.11.12.  
14 These many points are so many stems, springing from one stalk, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: the love of ourselves, to ourselves. There remain two main motives; whereof the one is comparable to any of these, the other superlative to all of these: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, our love to our brethren on earth, and our love to our Father in heaven; to edify them, and to glorify him, both in the Text. To draw men to Christ is God's royal Prerogative, John 6.44. therefore to communicate this to Us, must be a rare privilege for such mortal miserable creatures. But exempla trahunt mores, exemplary good works are an adamant, very attractive, and they are (not iron) of a heavy disposition, who will not follow them. Good works do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, draw men, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they make nolentem volentem, such as are backward to religion, to become forward in religion: Thus homo generat hominem, one good work doth produce another. Good works are necessary to be done by good men, that by their example they may edify their brethren.  
15 These many forenamed motives to, and effects of good works, are as so many stars, which impart light to us, and exercise their influence on us, to make our souls vegetative, to grow from grace to grace, to be fertile and fruitful in good works. Or like those stars, the septem Triones, they are brave directions to us towards our haven, our heaven: and happy are those holy Christians, who can steer thither through an ocean of good actions.  
And this last, our exemplary piety, and charity to edify our brethren, like the star of the Epiphanie, it doth as it were stand over the house, and directly direct us to this command of Christ, as that star did those Magis to the person of Christ. Or sicut inter stellas Luna minores, like the Moon, it shineth brightly, that we may see the way to heaven, in this night of our ignorance, and imperfect understanding. And, as the Astrologers teach of the Moon, it doth rule the head, and employeth the brains in holy meditations, to compass an holy conversation.  
But the motive behind is before them ●ll in 〈…〉 incitement: like the Sun, it doth obscure all these in a glorious lustre. It doth impart light and life to all who are called Christians, to walk worthy of their Vocations, since by our good works we shall glorify our good God, that we shall do good works in the sight of the Devil, Job 1.8. and in despite of devilish men, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Theophylact speaketh, that our very enemies shall approve us with their hearts, though they reprove us with their tongues. Had I the tongues of men and Angels, I could say no more to urge the necessity of good works, than what is here said in this Text, in this part of my Text: Let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven.  
I will shut up this Sermon, drawing this one Doctrine into a double useful Application: first, by way of apology, for our Religion, secondly, by way of antilogy, against our Religion. In the one, I will profess the Doctrine of our Church to be admirable; in the other, I will confess the practice of our professors not to be answerable.  
1 Have I here any Auditors, who are Papists, or Popishly affected? If prejudice and partiality have not stopped both the ears of such persons, I crave but one corner to receive the true report of their false reports and forged calumnies, wherewith they charge our Church Reform.  
The Protestants do neglect good works, because they do not hold them necessary to Salvation, saith the Jesuit who did occasion that rare Treatise termed, The way to the Church, sect. 40. Nil nisi Fidem requirunt. Lessius saith, the Protestants require nothing but faith, de Antichristo, pag. 250. Suarez more fully and foully too: Quocunque modo vivunt, per solam fidem gloriam sibi promittunt; & neque Mandatorum observationem, neque Poenitentiam esse necessariam praedicant: the Protestants preach (saith the Jesuit, Apolog. 5.10. nu. 11.) that it is no matter how men live, promising glory by faith alone, accounting both the keeping of the Commandments & Repentance Unnecessary. Legem ad Salutem nequaquam esse necessariam, impiè dicere non sunt veriti, their Trent Catechism saith, pag. 339. we are not afraid to say impiously, That the Law of God is not necessary to Salvation. The same smoke ariseth from a cloud of like witnesses, Campian, Dowly, Malvenda, Ferus, Stella, etc. against which loud lewd Lie, we appeal to our God, to our Consciences, to our Books, to our Sermons, to this Sermon, to our Hearers, to our very Children in their Catechisms, who were never taught one syllable of such a damnable doctrine.  
But the best is, Bellarmine doth blush at these bold calumnies; Disertis verbis docent opera esse ad Salutem necessaria: non quidem necessitate Efficientiae, sed Praesentiae, de Justificat. 4. The Protestants (saith he) do plainly teach, that good works are necessary to Salvation, not in the act of Justification, but in the work of Sanctification, without which there can be no Salvation.  
Indeed we do not, indeed we dare not avouch with that Jesuit of Rome, that at the last day we expect Justum Judicem, a Just Judge, not misericordem Patrem, not a merciful Father. Nor with those Priests of Rheims, that Heaven is the value, worth, and price of our works. For my part I profess, I can swallow no Pills, be they never so artificially gilded. No Merits will down with me, though wrapped up in the acquaint phrase of curious Campian, Opera tincta sanguine Christi: or with the neat distinctions of Condignity, Congruity, etc.  
But if it can be proved, that the Protestant Church doth hold dogmatically, that good works are not necessary to Salvation, I will turn Papist. Again, if we make it plain, that they charge us with these palpable, gross, shameful and shameless lies, only to strengthen their desperate resolution in this damnable point of Merits; me thinketh an ingenuous Papist should almost be persuaded to turn Protestant: only S. Paul hath told us, and foretell of them; there is a generation, who will not receive the love of the Truth: and therefore God hath sent on them strong delusion, that they might believe a lie, 2. Thes. 2.10, 11.  
Concerning the remnant, a long Preface would be requisite to mediate for that short conclusion. For my Mistress Experience hath taught me (her wise Scholar) that it is more offensive for a Preacher to reprove sin, than for an Hearer to commit it. I hope therefore and pray, that in this Congregation there be none of Malchas his kinsmen, who have lost their right ears; nor none of Theophrastus his Scholars, who used none but their left hands, that whatsoever I reach them with a right hand, yea and heart too, they receive it with a sinister interpretation. Beloved, I beg an intelligent and charitable attention. I will speak in verity, in God's holy name do you hear in charity.  
Good works! Good God, where are those good men who do perform them? some few only excepted.  
1 The idleness of the poor, dejected, unrewarded, unregarded Mercenaries; the lofty, lordly deportment of others more plentifully maintained. The base flattering of great ones, and that more than most basest flattery of the base ones, the multitude, to the fomenting of faction, schism, and disobedience. Are these the good works of our Clergy?  
2 The slow foot to the house of God, the stiff knee to the worship of God, the shut hand to the members of God, the evil eye against the ministers of God, and (as it is feared) the schismatical heart in the Church of God. Are these the good works of your Laity?  
3 The hyperexcessive prodigality upon hawks, horses, hounds, drinking, dancing and dicing, and that incredible parsimony towards the poor, the country, Church, nay their God. Are these the good works of the Country?  
4 The lying in shops, swearing in markets, equivocating in selling, ingratitude, nay perfidiousnes in borrowing, usury, nay extortion in lending; and that avarice is become an ubiquitary Inmate in this famous metropolis. Are these the good works of this City?  
5 The encouraging and instructing of malicious quarrelsome Clients, the protecting and privileging of debtors and malefactors; their antipathy to the Church-government, because of the Churches anti jurisdiction, and the spinning out of Law-Suits with long and costly proceed, oft times to the undoing of Plaintiff and Defendant too. Certainly such Lawyers are no Papists, for they mean not to merit heaven by such good works.  
6 That a Gallant may not hear the lie, but that his sword must right it, and write it in the blood of his reproacher, or lose his own in assaying it. That a Gallantresse may not see that woman, but that her foot or heart must press before her: only to Church and Heaven she will give precedence to any. That He doth torment the Tailor, She the Sempster, both the Devil with inventing fashions: that both spend more time in cutting, curling, powdering, and plaiting their hair, than they do in praying either in public or in private; and that they make themselves monsters by their misshapen attire: I can hardly contrive these good works within the compass of my text, and of the holy Scriptures.  
7 That work of our Nation is no good work; that which maketh our Kingdom a scorn to our foes, a sorrow to our friends, a shame to ourselves: That Noli me tangere, and Noli me nominare too; I dare not name it. But Christ doth name it, and curse it too, Luk. 11.17. That work will bring this land to a speedy confusion, if God doth not shield it by his merciful protection, and miraculous prevention.  
8 But the Antipodes to all good works, is that Seminary of all bad works; that work— which heretofore hath been hated of the Heathen, now practised, patronised, yea purchased by Christians, by Protestants: Sacrilege and Church-robbing. What? be a thief to my God? Master is it I? every one will apologise for himself in the phrase of that innocent Apostle. I would to God there were no coin in my cottage, no bread in my cupboard, no books in my Study, no breath in my body, conditionally there were no sacrilegious Church-robbers in this Kingdom.  
The stones in their walls, the sheaves in their barns, and the loaves on their tables, will cry sacrilege against many a man of worth in our nation.  
This goodly, but drooping Edifice, if it should drop down; and bury us, either talking in the Church, or praying in the Choir, we should be no Martyrs, who esteem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all cost lost, which might be bestowed on so religious a reparation; nay, so necessary a prevention.  
That so many persons in too many Parishes are in want of spiritual bread under their temporal Tith-takers: we need not glory in our merits, that we suspend our assistance from those silly souls. The people may perish where prophecy faileth. Beloved, there is a positive, and there is a privative sacrilege. Cain was profane, though peradventure seventy times short of Lamech in profaneness. To withdraw what the Church hath, and to withhold what the Church doth need: the later is sacrilege as well, though not as much as the former.  
There is one, and but one salve for this sore, the redemption of Impropriations.  
Let not Impropriatours start, I plead not for impossibilities; not that they should give them, but that we should buy them: That every man should lay by him in store as God hath prospered him, till that his private charity might find opportunity, and (if God hath such a blessing in store for us) be enabled by public authority, to concur in the buying in of Impropriations.  
If Authority would open that Treasury for God's house, the rich men would cast in their gifts, and the widows would cast in thither their mites also. And the blessing of Jeroboam be upon that hand, which would be clutched in such a contribution.  
This would be the accomplishment of this text, in one superlative particular. If we should light that torch which Popery hath extinguished: Then, would our light so shine before men, that they would see That good work, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. Yea, for this present my meditations apprehend such a good work to be our best Orator, to beg a blessing upon our kingdom; upon the Epitome thereof, the Honourable high Court of Parliament; upon the Head thereof, his Royal Majesty.  
As therefore we love our King, as we love our Kingdom, as we love our Church, as we love our Souls: so in this point, Let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven.  
Frange Domine panem quidem tuum, manibus meis: I have delivered thy Message, to thy people; I have spoken to their Ears, Lord Jesus speak unto their Hearts.  
FINIS.